Globe Life in Shakespeare's London by Catherine Arnold

I enjoyed reading this fascinating book which describes the

times and life of William Shakespeare.  London was a bustling,

busy town during Tudor times and Shakespeare found his place

and popularity  as a well known playwright.   His success was not

always enthusiastically acclaimed as one writer referred to him

as shake-scene and was obviously at a loss to understand the

reason that people were flocking to see his plays.

Other playwrights and well known writers of the time are also

included in this book.  It certainly does give an understanding

of the development of theatre and plays in earlier times which in a

way was the beginnings of the mass audience crowd at a popular

theatre. 

Descriptions of the theatres are given, the professional and business

approach to theatres and the painstaking building of the initial theatres

and the losses often incurred.    Often people became jealous or for various

other reasons people wanted the theatres shut down and would complain

to the London authorities about them.  It may even have been because of

the narrow streets and people may have become encumbered walking down

the narrow alleys when horses and coaches were waiting outside the theatres.

There were also the puritans who wanted the theatres shut down and often in times

of plague the theatres were also shut down.  During one of these times of a plague

Shakespeare wrote some of his wonderful poetry.

The players and actors were very committed and passionate towards their cause.  Often

they needed patronage and at times their situation did seem grim.  This book tells the

story of the very early beginnings of theatre and plays and how the players initially

travelled to country homes to give entertainments and would receive food and board.

I loved reading this book as it is so full of interesting detail and fascinating anecdotes

about the life of Shakespeare and his associates.  It is a wonderful book and well recommended.

   

Paris

Paris

The spires upon an ancient hill

Of old fashioned buildings

And a magic wind-mill

And old fashioned lamp-lights,

A colourful scene;

A memory of times past

My, how time goes so fast;

 

Where once there were fields and marshes

And people out in the country air

Taking oxen to market

Or going to a country fair;

Now  a wondrous city,

Amusements, entertainments

The city of light.

Where once there were narrow cobble-stone streets,

Now wide boulevards

 and city treats;

Statues on buildings

 coloured awnings

and graceful facades

Heaven’s helpers holding placards

Look down upon a city street

Where once did heroes of fiction weep

Or pray from a tower keep

To Sweet Genevieve

Of a Paris eve;

 

Where once

On a second score

The fashionistas

 had an encore

Red, blue and white

The colours of fright

To the very core;

 

The last refrain

Of a glorious reign

Spanning a thousand years or more;

 

The fleur-de-lis

Symbol of purity

God given right

To His Majesty,

Lost in the plight

Of a king’s fall

Perhaps now glimpsed

On the stage of a concert hall.

 

Roll call!

Roll call!

 

Drums were beating

Lives were fleeting;

 

Wind back the years

And all the fears

So often,

Ending in so many tears;

 

And into this fray

Napoleon found his way

The stage was set

For another play.

 

Where once the Louvre was a royal residence

Where a king and court resided

Now a place of fine magnificence

And tourists united

In a love of art

History plays its part.

 

Paris,

A place to go back to-

The walk along the river Seine

The bateau-mouche goes on its way

The artists’ paintings on display,

 

A Parisian place,

A Parisian way of life

A love of Paris:

 

The Seine Valley

Decked out in green,

Beautiful fields and meadows.

 

The lovely wild flowers

Of St Germaine-en-Laye

On a hillside

Overlooking the valley

In all hues

From yellow to blue

So enchanting to view

And behold-

A place to discover

The pleasure and beauty

Of the palace gardens

Of the little town

Out of Paris

A grand place in its day.

 

The moonlight

gives its soft glow

Over the roof-tops of Paris,

And glimpsed from a window

Of a narrow lane

Bring forth memories

As the links of

A long lost gold chain;

The pigeons of Notre Dame

The children sailing their toy-boats

On a pond of golden measure

Luxembourg gardens,

A real treasure;

These and many other things give

Impressions of Paris;

 

A pavement drawing

Coloured leaves falling

Leaves which flutter

on a soft breeze

Turn gold in autumn time,

The greenery of a summer vine,

The vibrant and verdant trees;

change orange and yellow

As seasons come and go;

 

In a faraway time

Paris lost its spell

Its charm and repose,

In winter,

A place where even the river froze-

But now,

A city, where so many dwell-

A city of great warmth

Where a poet, an artist or a dreamer goes-

Beautiful as a rose

Luminous,

 as a story-book picture shows:-

 

The mill of Montmartre,

The side-walk cafes,

The songs,

The music of Sartre,

Writers and poets remembered by name;

Stroll by a park

 Little merry-go-round

Illumined in dark

Enjoy a cafe as the sun goes down

Reflecting its vibrant colours

Over the river Seine

And inspiration is found;

 

And where from above

A loftier realm

The saints look down

below

A choir sings a religious psalm

light reflects,

a rose window,

glorious as a healing balm;

Statues step back

 into shadows of time

The glorious clock

Forever chimes

Now and forever

Paris for all time

 

The poetry of Paris forever rhymes.

 

 

 

 

The Winter Sun on a Distant Shore

Oh, how I love the Winter Sun

which glints and glimmers free-

spills upon the ocean wave

and sparkles upon the Sea:

Oh, how I love that Winter Scene

God grant that I may ever dream

and see a different Winter Gleam

In a place serene:

And the sparkle in the tree:

as the ocean birds

warm their wings

in a windvale lee;

It glanced upon the lily pond

Came down to the shining sea

where a wonderful palm frond

waved back and forward to me:

And out on that glittering sea

Beckoned awhile a beautiful boat

Gleaming bright

upon the ocean white:

Rocking to and fro

upon the ocean breeze

Taking me

To wherever I please?

On the horizon

The glint of the sun

This I knew

was the one,

The boat of my Dreams:

Get on, get on

get on with the tide

the call of Nature is on your side:

the breeze was right

the time was night

and on to this ship I embarked

And now it was a

Dream of mine

gliding along the brine

Looked up and saw a pine,

Shadowy branches

Spreading all along

a breaking surf incline;

and upon this golden ship

could be an achor over to climb

for a future

way past time:-

This golden light

ever bright

springs forth amongst the trees-

Golden Splendour

My Delight

Greenery, symmetrically

A bird haven, shelter

which beauty about decrees:

This winter light

sparkles white

glinting bright

on a distant land:

where pink-tinged clouds

touch lightly on golden sand

in a powder blue haze

of an orange sunset maze;

and distant birds call a night retreat

onward,

gracefully gliding,

wings flapping on a silent beat:

And the noble green

where dancing shadows

flicker in-between

the tall poplar, fig and rose

on a distant shore.

Oh, for me a

distant slip

Where forever

lands,

A Golden Horizon

burns ever so bright:

And golden were the tomorrows I could see

on this enchantment-filled sea-trip;

Imaginings, imaginings

If only this were true-

To sail across the ocean blue

to a distant shore

with colours of every hue:

This, I say, to my regret

A land where once there was a Crown

and the gold-fish danced beside the ship

the dolphins frolicked

in their play

At the closing of the day;

The sails went up,

the winds did whirl

About and about

A glorious show

As sails unfurl;

A place where people

would bow and clasp your hand:

Oh, help me, Master, to understand

That as I sail to another land

the truth alone I see in mine own eyes

Not difficulties in another guise:

with beauty, truth

the perspective clears

and hope our Master

always hears-

I see light come from the grey

Banish all my thoughts away

There is beauty in the day

And for peace

I will always pray.

Come let us form a circle for our friends

And light a candle for this hope

And clap together our hands

for in giving peace

we give scope

for people visiting other lands.

A new life prospers true

And gives the day a new spark

Taking me from days of dark

If I could only see

A wonderful world

A place to be

wherever you may be.