I am now reading “Unaccompanied Women” by Jane Juska - the bestselling author of ”A Round-Heeled Woman” – which I haven’t read.
["A Round-Heeled Woman" is a very interesting book about Jane herself, who had then decided "Before I turn 67, I would like to have a lot of sex with a man I like". Jane is now 72.]
But this post is not to discuss her book(s)….not yet since I have barely started reading.
In the Chapter 3 of Unaccompanied Women was a prelude with a phrase from “Remember” by Christina Rossetti, a poet from 19th century England.
I am no poetry-fanatic and in fact I can’t even appreciate Bright Star, which I totally fell asleep while watching on the plane. (You can check out the review by my fellow blogger friend, Wilfrid Wong here.)
But this short phrase from “Remember” is just too beautiful for me not to mention it….
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
So few words, yet so painfully beautiful….I wish I could write like that.
I found the full version the website of Poetry Archive but I must say the rest of it pales in comparison:
REMEMBER
by: Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)
EMEMBER me when I am gone away, - Gone far away into the silent land;
- When you can no more hold me by the hand,
- Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
- Remember me when no more day by day
- You tell me of our future that you plann’d:
- Only remember me; you understand
- It will be late to counsel then or pray.
- Yet if you should forget me for a while
- And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
- For if the darkness and corruption leave
- A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
- Better by far you should forget and smile
- Than that you should remember and be sad.
And finally, for those of you who are curious about Jane Juska and her very interesting adventure before she turned 67, you can check out this video clip.
Thanks for sharing that piece of poem. I really love it. Gosh, I am such a hopeless sentimental dude at times.
Haha…yes, Wilfrid, I do realize that you are a hopeless sentimental dude. Which is fantastic for your wife!!