Poetry stuck in your mind

[The waveguide]

Does poetry get stuck in your mind from time to time? - I mean either in English or in your mother tongue?

Every time that I know I must do something and I am too lazy to do it, these lines come to my mind (So annoying!)

But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep
Robert Frost

 

[abecedarian]

This happens often..sometimes its poetry, often its a song. What's funny is the trigger for these memory jogs. It might be anything.. a comment from a friend or family member, or even a road sign..free association is a scary thing!

 

[Sybarite]

There have been a number of times over the years when circumstances have brought to mind a line by Philip Larkin:

"They **** you up, your mum and dad".

 

[The waveguide]

Yes, that's true- it depends on the situation.

Every time that my plane takes off, these lines go through my mind again-and again-and again:

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
Robet Burns

So I seat with my hands holding crazily into the armchair, under pressure (I hate flying), and this is what I've got in my head! Sometimes there are no highlands at all around - only a sea or a desert, but this poem goes on and on in my head!

 

[abecedarian]

Yes, that's true- it depends on the situation.

Every time that my plane takes off, these lines go through my mind again-and again-and again:



So I seat with my hands holding crazily into the armchair, under pressure (I hate flying), and this is what I've got in my head! Sometimes there are no highlands at all around - only a sea or a desert, but this poem goes on and on in my head!

I love that one! We readit in the fifth or sixth grade and it stayed with me. My third grade teacher had us memorize lots of poetry..I wonder if the rest of the class has stuff like Little Boy Blue(Eugene Field) or Be the Best of Whatever You Are stuck in their heads, even now..

"Oh the years are many, the years are long.."

 

[saliotthomas]

from Charle Baudelaire
Sois sage, ô ma Douleur, et tiens-toi plus tranquille.
Tu réclamais le Soir ; il descend ; le voici :
Une atmosphère obscure enveloppe la ville,
Aux uns portant la paix, aux autres le souci.

 

[The waveguide]

from Charle Baudelaire
Sois sage, ô ma Douleur, et tiens-toi plus tranquille.
Tu réclamais le Soir ; il descend ; le voici :
Une atmosphère obscure enveloppe la ville,
Aux uns portant la paix, aux autres le souci.

Sounds very dramatic...
I found some translations of Charle Baudelaire:
http://www.poemhunter.com/charles-baudelaire/

Which one is the poem above? I understand a bit of French, but it is hard to recognize in translation...

 

[saliotthomas]

Maybe a bit dramatic but one does not choose what stick i one's brain.
I do not believe in translating Poesie,it has to much to do with music,change the words is changing the notes.

Sois sage, ô ma Douleur, et tiens-toi plus tranquille.
be calm o my pain,and keep a bit quite
Tu réclamais le Soir ; il descend ; le voici :
You were call for evening,he 's falling,here he come's
Une atmosphère obscure enveloppe la ville,
A dark atmosphere is wraping the city
Aux uns portant la paix, aux autres le souci.
Bring peace to some,to others worries

Ruffly transalted(could not get the link to work)


I like i lighter one to from Ronsard
Mignonne allons voir si la rose
qui ce matin avais eclose
et revetu sa robe de pourpre....

 

[Phlebas]

Sometimes a really pwerful line says with me for ever, not usually a shole poem though - The hourglass whispers to the lion's roar - Auden