Friday 17 May 2013

Happy Friday: something about "Air"

I've been quite busy recently and almost forgot about the blog!! I just wanted to wish a happy friday to whoever passes here. Feeling fresh air of spring, I just think to express it in some ways. Firstly, I'd like to quote a piece of poem of a great English poet, John Donne (1572 - 1631) and to follow by a piece of vdo clip of my boy performing "Air" by John Blow (1649 - 1708). Actually, he's practicing it for his very first performance in public at an art gallery next Saturday. Although he just started the piano lessons last October, his teacher assured he was ready for the event. Now, let's be poetic and enjoy the music!

Air and Angels

By John Donne
Twice or thrice had I lov'd thee,
Before I knew thy face or name;
So in a voice, so in a shapeless flame
Angels affect us oft, and worshipp'd be;
         Still when, to where thou wert, I came,
Some lovely glorious nothing I did see.
         But since my soul, whose child love is,
Takes limbs of flesh, and else could nothing do,
         More subtle than the parent is
Love must not be, but take a body too;
         And therefore what thou wert, and who,
                I bid Love ask, and now
That it assume thy body, I allow,
And fix itself in thy lip, eye, and brow.

Whilst thus to ballast love I thought,
And so more steadily to have gone,
With wares which would sink admiration,
I saw I had love's pinnace overfraught;
         Ev'ry thy hair for love to work upon
Is much too much, some fitter must be sought;
         For, nor in nothing, nor in things
Extreme, and scatt'ring bright, can love inhere;
         Then, as an angel, face, and wings
Of air, not pure as it, yet pure, doth wear,
         So thy love may be my love's sphere;
                Just such disparity
As is 'twixt air and angels' purity,
'Twixt women's love, and men's, will ever be.

 Air - John Blow