Sonnet: I thank you

I thank you, kind and best beloved friend.

With the same thanks one murmurs to as sister,

When, for some gentle favour, he hath kissed her.

Less for the gifts than for the love you send,

Less for the flowers, than what the flowers convey;

 If I, indeed, divine their meaning truly,

And not onto myself ascribe, unduly.

Things which you neither meant nor wished to say,

Oh! Tell me, is the hope then all misplaced?

And I am flattered by my own affection?

But in your beauteous gift, methought I traced

Something above a short-lived predilection,

And which, for that I know no dearer name,

I designate as love, without love`s flame.

Henry Timrod

Allie Esiri The Love Book 

a Christmas Poem

The shepherds went their hasty way,

And found the lowly stable-shed

Where the Virgin-Mother lay:

And now they checked their eager tread,

Poetry Day

please share with us a day full of poetry and Christmas preparation
make yourself a nice cup of tea and enjoy some peace and quite with DFI

lets go,..

PICS from Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: Poems from the First World War

Guildhall School of Music and Drama has shared information on Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: Poems from the First World War that took place at the Barbican Centre on November 10, 2014 along with beautiful pictures from the reading. 

We are sharing a few pictures with you here, and please visit the Guildhall School of Music and Drama FB page for more information and pictures. 

Please enjoy!

copyright: Mark Allan & (c) Guildhall School 2014

PICS from Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: Poems from the First World War

Guildhall School of Music and Drama has shared information on Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: Poems from the First World War that took place at the Barbican Centre on November 10, 2014 along with beautiful pictures from the reading. 

We are sharing a few pictures with you here, and please visit the Guildhall School of Music and Drama FB page for more information and pictures. 

Please enjoy!

copyright: Mark Allan & (c) Guildhall School 2014

From Guildhall School of Music and Drama Facebook Page:

"As part of the First World War centenary commemorations, on 10 November the Guildhall School and the Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation presented an evening of WWI poetry in Milton Court Concert Hall. Novelist, poetry anthologist and Guildhall alumna Josephine Hart founded the Josephine Hart Poetry Hour in order to bring poetry in performance to a broader public audience.

copyright: Mark Allan & (c) Guildhall School 2014

Throughout the recital a total of thirty First World War poems were performed, including Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est, W. B. Yeats’ An Irish Airman Foresees His Death and Rudyard Kipling’s Epitaphs of The War. Readers included some of the School’s distinguished Acting alumni – Damian Lewis (1993), Dominic West (1995), Freddie Fox (2010), Emily Berrington (2012) and the School’s Director of Drama Christian Burgess, with introductions by Guildhall alumna, actress Niamh Cusack.

Left to Right: Damian Lewis, Emily Berrington, Freddie Fox, Christian Burgess and Dominic West
copyright: Mark Allan & (c) Guildhall School 2014

The event was in support of the Guildhall School’s Scholarships Fund. All photos by Mark Allan & (c) Guildhall School 2014."

Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: WWI Poetry Read by Guildhall School Alumni

Damian Friends and Inspiration Fan Blog was on location at Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: Poems from the First World War. We are sorry to report that we do not have pics from the event because cameras were not allowed. 

Below you can see our review of the event as well as messages tweeted by several audience members. Enjoy!

Josephine Hart Poetry Hour

Poems from the First World War 

Josephine Hart, source: guardian.co.uk

Tonight the DFI blog attended the Milton Court Concert Hall at the Barbican, opposite the Guild Hall.

Six distinguished actors were invited back on the Guild hall stage. These included, Emily Berrington, Freddie Fox, Christian Burgess, Niamh Cusak, Dominic West and of course our very own Damian Lewis.

The actors were introduced on to the stage and each of them sat in a line and took turns in reading some wonderful poetry from World War 1. Each of them expressed themselves wonderfully - Damian, who wore a dark grey suit teamed with an olive green tie, did a fantastic Irish accent when reading, "An Irish airman foresees his death" by W.B. Yeats. The readings lasted just over one hour and was very moving with some very good humour, too.

Here is "An Irish airman foresees his death" by W.B. Yeats.

I know that I shall meet my fate   

Somewhere among the clouds above;   

Those that I fight I do not hate   

Those that I guard I do not love;   

My country is Kiltartan Cross,

My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor,   

No likely end could bring them loss   

Or leave them happier than before.   

Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,   

Nor public man, nor cheering crowds,

A lonely impulse of delight   

Drove to this tumult in the clouds;   

I balanced all, brought all to mind,   

The years to come seemed waste of breath,   

A waste of breath the years behind

In balance with this life, this death.

And, we LOVE the reactions to the poetry event on Twitter, too!

Theo Clarke @theodoraclarke My two favourite British actors on stage #London together, best cultural eve ever? Damian Lewis & Dominic West, dream team! #ww1 #barbican

Sharon Farnley @Shasul1@lewis_damian Back from very moving evening of First World War poetry at the Barbican. In tears in front row - thanks so much for that xxx

Rachael S. @TheBendySlow Damian Lewis did an Irish accent for one poem and Dominic did Scottish for another. Fabulous readings all :)

9 hours ago

Luke Dale @_lukedale Amazing poetry readings from Damien Lewis, Dominic West, Emily Berrington, Freddie Fox and Christian Burgess tonight. #whatismylife

The Harvest...

Damian Lewis reads The Harvest by Henry Birtles at a Service to Celebrate the Harvest for British Food Fortnight at Westminster Abbey.

 

 

Poetry readings...

Hello....

since Cheltenham is in front of us lets have a look what Damian Lewis
has done so far in the poetry section...

he did at the Oxford literary festival in 2011 a beautiful reading of Anthony Doerrs The Deep

read and see here about:

Herewith, an excerpt from Anthony Doerr’s award-winning short story, “The Deep.”  Recipient of the prestigious Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award in 2011, “The Deep” is included in the paperback edition of Doerr’s 2010 Story Prize winning  collection Memory Wall.

Born with a heart defect in the early days of last century, Tom is told he will not live past the age of eighteen. His concerned mother protects him at every turn. ‘Go slow’ his mother says. But Tom discovers life in the midst of fainting spells and industrial collapse, falling in love with the beautiful, red-haired Ruby Hornaday, a girl who dreams of diving on the ocean floors. Set against the salt mines of Depression era Detroit, the reader is transported in time and space in this heartbreaking story of love, hardship and the irrepressible human spirit.

Listen to a reading of “The Deep” by the actor Damian Lewis at the 2011 Oxford Literary Festival.   

Let's hear some poetry...

and one more....

and my all time favourite...

Good Morning!

Cheltenham is near so time to have a closer look at the beautiful area....

Cheltenham /ˈtʃɛltnəm/, also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England, located on the edge of the Cotswolds. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held every March. The town hosts several festivals of culture often featuring nationally and internationally famous contributors and attendees, including Greenbelt, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival and Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival 

 read and see more:

 

 ^{pictures from visitcheltenham}