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"Jane" by John Masefield

Submitted by weirdelf on Sun, 2013-04-07 23:31

I'm posting this as one of the very early poems that turned me on to poetry, and as a reference for a critique made in workshop.
https://soundcloud.com/neopoet/jane-by-john-masefield

Jane

In June time once, as I was going
Up Happen Hill, by Lob’s Pound,
I saw Them, many as snow snowing,
Hymning their Queen and dancing round.
In glitter and sparkle they were turning,
Scattering dewdrops in the green,
Their jewels shone, their eyes were burning,
And O the Beauty of their Queen.
And O the beauty of their singing,
It was as beautiful as She,
Perfect in tune, in time, and bringing
A deathlessness to mortal me.
So life I knew has this for kernel,
This marvel to which man is blind:
We make a blur round an Eternal
For ever shaming humankind.
They streamed away, away, before me,
With chimes like little silver bells,
They opened doors of glory for me,
And now I think of nothing else.

John Masefield

Comments

Seren

Mon, 2013-04-08 07:33

Seren's picture

I've never read this before thanks for sharing I am going to look up some of his other pieces

sincerely JC

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” — W.B. Yeats

Ian.T

Mon, 2013-04-08 18:27

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John Masefield is this the English poet laureate that I have read of??
I couldn't find this among his works:-
John Edward Masefield, 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967.
English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom
I am familiar with a few of his works and find them excellent, also some parts of one of his poems has been made fun works into:-
I must go down to the sea again
To the lonely sea and sky
I left my pants and vest there
I wonder if they're dry.
We do mess with some poets works now and then, but they must be good for others to parody them.
I had not heard of this one though, that's why I have asked if it is the same poet..???
Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

weirdelf

Mon, 2013-04-08 20:33

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From a collection of his poems called "Old Raiger"

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

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Ian.T

Fri, 2013-04-12 03:35

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I have re read this again and it kinda catches you, though I think several reads are needed to show the true picture.
An excellent work to be impressed by those "many" lol, years ago.
Take care young man and have a great evening,
Yours Ian.T
PS:- Worth bringing this one back to the top of the stream again...

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

scribbler

Fri, 2013-04-12 19:52

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Funny how those old rhymers stay on one's mind isn't it? I think the best part of this poem was the use of a near rhyme in the last line to add emphasis....................but that doesn't mean I didn't like the rest of it. This poem also leads me to wonder why so many rhyming poems were not put into stanzas................stan

weirdelf

Fri, 2017-07-07 17:42

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I had a girlfriend, my longest relationship ever, she was an elf, her name was Jane. Her CB radio name was Weirdelf. I stole the name after a rather nasty break up.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

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