Another week another Friday Five:
1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)?
Novels and if handy cereal boxes. Nothing like a good Canadian cereal box to teach you basic cereal box French 🙂
2. What is your favorite novel?
Tough question. I don’t think I have a favorite. I read almost anything so it would be a large group to choose from. Fiction, non-fiction, kiddy lit, fantasy, sci-fi etc. There is no way I could choose.
3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!)
Again a favorite question. I don’t have a favorite poem. Though I can think of three that I really like. The first one I posted a little under a year ago called “I Carry Your Heart With Me” by e.e.cummings. The second one I also post a couple of months ago called “The Only Tourist in Havana Turns His Thoughts Homeward” by Leonard Cohen. The final one is from Alice Through the Looking Glass (and What She Found There) and is called “The Walrus and the Carpenter”. It goes like this:
`The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright —
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done —
“It’s very rude of him,” she said,
“To come and spoil the fun!”
The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying over head —
There were no birds to fly.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
“If this were only cleared away,”
They said, “it WOULD be grand!”
“If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose,” the Walrus said,
“That they could get it clear?”
“I doubt it,” said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
“O Oysters, come and walk with us!”
The Walrus did beseech.
“A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each.”
The eldest Oyster looked at him.
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head —
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
But four young oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat —
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn’t any feet.
Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more —
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
And whether pigs have wings.”
“But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried,
“Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!”
“No hurry!” said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
“A loaf of bread,” the Walrus said,
“Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed —
Now if you’re ready Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed.”
“But not on us!” the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue,
“After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!”
“The night is fine,” the Walrus said
“Do you admire the view?
“It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!”
The Carpenter said nothing but
“Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf —
I’ve had to ask you twice!”
“It seems a shame,” the Walrus said,
“To play them such a trick,
After we’ve brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!”
The Carpenter said nothing but
“The butter’s spread too thick!”
“I weep for you,” the Walrus said.
“I deeply sympathize.”
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size.
Holding his pocket handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
“O Oysters,” said the Carpenter.
“You’ve had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?”
But answer came there none —
And that was scarcely odd, because
They’d eaten every one.’
I like it because it borders on being a nonsense poem. I’ve heard a couple of interpretations of the poem where the Carpenter is suppose to represent Jesus and his followers or something like that. I just take it for what it is.
4. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read?
I’ve always wanted to sit down and actually read the Bible. To be one of those people who have actually read it and can comment on it. Not quote passages like a robot but actually have an intelligent discussion about it. It seems like a lot of work for something that sounds to be generally boring. “….ang Dave begat Wari who begat Shannon who begat Paul who begat Angela who begat Firda who begat Kelly who begat Rebecca who begat Matt who begat Nita who begat Nikki who…
5. What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading a stage version of “The Odyssey” by Derek Walcott. Interesting stuff. Not as difficult to understand as Shakespeare but you do have to think while you are reading. After this weekend I should have much more to read since I’m heading off to the monthly book sale (where new unused books are anywhere from 1 to 5 dollars). Sweet. 🙂