It has been the roughest of days – rain overflowing from the guttering and streaming down the windows and wild, wild wind, leaves blown hither and thither and strange thumps from outside while things are blown around the yard. So – I give you a wonderful painting by Giuliana Lazzerini evoking the warmth of a summer day.
We met Brian Patten many years ago when in Yorkshire and he signed his book, ‘Love Poems’ for me. This delightful poem is from that collection. I think we all need the ‘safeguard against imagining’ that there is ‘nothing bright or special in the world.’ There is and we need to keep reminding each other of the good, the bright and the special.
The Stolen Orange
When I left I stole an orange
I kept it in my pocket
It felt like a warm planet
Everywhere I went smelt of oranges
Whenever I got into an awkward situation
I’d take out the orange and smell it
And immediately on even dead branches I saw
The lovely and fierce orange blossom
That smells so much of joy
When I went out I stole an orange
It was a safeguard against imagining
There was nothing bright or special in the worldBP
https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3065937/iceland-blocked-from-airing-palm-oil-christmas-advert
Checking the published post, I find that the verses of Brian Patten’s poem are all squashed together instead of three line verses. I have tried to correct this but WordPress won’t let me.
utesmile
November 9, 2018 at 8:17 pm
Great message in the ad, however it is promoted outside the advert already and I hope people still get the message. We do mess too much with nature and just don’t stop. Thanks for adding it here!
mybeautfulthings
November 9, 2018 at 10:34 pm
Thank you. I wasn’t sure about it but really felt I should – so I did! Thanks again for the support. 🙂
saymber
November 9, 2018 at 7:41 pm
An important message in that ad. We can’t keep doing what we are doing at the levels we are doing it and expect nature to be able to survive it. We know better. We can do and be better.
mybeautfulthings
November 9, 2018 at 10:35 pm
You are so right Saymber. Thank you for your understanding too. 🙂