When I see you smile

Another lovely song: This by Bic Runga:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGH8McmPndw

The Mists of Islay

Another enchanting song from Hayley Westenra:

The Mists of Islay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE6iCJNNrd8

This song seems to evoke a beautiful place in Ireland.

Best wishes

Dear Heart, How Like You This? by Wendy J Dunn

Is it possible to write a perfect book? This book comes close

to perfection in its well crafted descriptions of beauty, sensitivity and poetry.

This novel tells the story of Anne Boleyn

and Sir Thomas Wyatt and his enduring love for the doomed queen.

A beautiful gem of a novel full of insight and the magical, beautiful

times of the earlier tudor years.

The story is told by Sir Thomas Wyatt from his early years of

childhood spent at the childhood home of Anne Boleyn at Hever

Castle. He often reminiscences of his earlier, happy years spent

in the company of Anne and George Boleyn.

The majestic and inspirational poetry of Sir Thomas Wyatt often

seems to tell its own story written from the heart. This is an exquisite story

of beauty, truth and love. It is a historical

fiction novel. It is mentioned in the notes in a biographical sketch

of Sir Thomas Wyatt that Anne

Boleyn gave to one of her ladies her treasured prayer book for Sir Thomas Wyatt.

This was moments before her impending execution at the scaffold.

I loved following the story, the travels of

Sir Thomas Wyatt to the French

court and also to Italy. He was a diplomat of the tudor court and in his work often spent time

away from the court on government business.

Set during the earlier years of the reign of Henry

VIII this book gives valuable insights into the court of Henry VIII and the

politics of the time during these quite turbulent years.

A story which captures emotion, drama and the mood of the times so well and

is often written from a reflective view point. Quite beautiful!

Some novelists have a gift. Another novel of great beauty and sensitivity is brought

to mind: “Farewell, My Queen” by Chantal Thomas which is a story of the reader

who sat with Marie Antoinette during the final years of the court

and who subsequently wrote her story many years later in Vienna.

Sea Witch by Helen Hollick

Romance and adventure set during the times of the

the swashbuckling seventeenth century and early eighteenth century

give splendour to the story of “Sea Witch” which is a ship named after

Tiola Oldstagh, whose name in an anagram means “All that is good.”

The two main characters, Jesamiah Acorne and Tiola Oldstagh come

from very unlikely backgrounds which tend to fascinate and also shock. Tiola,

from a coastal village in England from which she had been forced to flee with the assistance of family members and Jesamiah from a plantation in the New World, where

he had been obliged to move on and make a new life for himself. Tiola and Jesamiah learn to overcome their background family traumas to hopefully

move on to a better life.

Tiola and Jesamiah both seem to have been

victimised as a consequence of events beyond their control. Tiola should have been free to

pursue a happy life and eventual marriage in her home village which would have been expected

in those times. Jesamiah should have been

welcome to work or pursue a career at his father's plantation.

The story is quite enchanting with a romance between Tiola and Jesamiah The fantasy aspects of the story appeal and are quite refreshing. Sometimes mystical, sometimes magical or was it only a drream? Quite fascinating!

Tiola is beautiful. Almost like a sea nymph. She is also gifted with special healing talents aided by concoctions from medicinal herbs. Jesamiah seems to be more of

a complex character. He is fascinating and popular with his sea going

friends. Jesamiah, with his blue ribbons in his wind-swept hair on board a ship appeals. This is the first time Tiola glimpses him from the deck of another ship.

The settings of the story are exotic and different.e.g. Cape Town in South Africa and the Bahamas,

Nasau and Port Royal. The descriptions given in the story bring the reader to the far off and distant places, often portrayed with vivid landscapes, as for example the beautiful scenery at Table Mountain, Cape Town in the early days. The author has realistically evoked the far off times and the places well with wonderful descriptions which give colour, brightness and beauty to the novel.

Piracy on the high seas

and the adventures of a likeable pirate, Jesamiah Acorne, make this story believable and wonderful. Other characters in the story, e.g. Rue, a friend and sea-going companion of Jesamiah and

Jenny, a companion/nurse/governess of Tiola give added depth to the story. Several of the characters are fascinating to read about, including William Dampier, Mr Overvanstratton, governors, sea-captains, sea-crew and acquaintances,

including people Jesamiah has known from his past.

It was interesting to read of nautical terms and learn more about the sailing of the ships. The book

gives very good descriptions of the complexities involved during those times of the master and crew sailing the ship.

There is an index given in the book of the nautical terms.

I look forward to following the story of Tiola and Jesamiah in the following

books in the series “Pirate Code” “Bring It Closer” and “Ripples in the Sand.” I loved the romance and adventure of the story and the descriptions given on land and on the ocean wave were magnificent. Sea battles, chases, the lure of the ocean, romance and humour make for an enjoyable read!

This book is bright and wonderful. Jesamiah is a bold and adventurous pirate.

Musical Melodies

I attended a Musical Medodies show of a singer singing beautiful songs yesterday morning
at a chapel which overlooks beautiful gardens and bush and stream.  The chapel was quite different in the respect that
there were not any ornamentations though this was unnecessary as the beauty of the surroundings outside the windows more than compensated.  The chapel was an interesting and unique design. 

The songs were wonderful.  Many old time favourite love songs.
"Autumn leaves" "True Love" "Have I told you lately" "Smile"and many other
magical songs.  The singer has a repertoire of old and more modern songs.
It was beautiful and inspirational to listen to the songs in such a wonderful setting.
I was fortunate to win a cd of songs in a raffle draw.

I include a Spanish guitar piece which I also think is wonderful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEfFbuT3I6A

I am sure that it is music for the soul which makes the world go round.

So many forms of beautiful music.

My best wishes

A Poet at the Library

A poet was at the library, in the foyer today composing poems
for people who were entering and leaving he library.

I believed this was a very unique service to provide for people.

The poem which Louise Moriarty gave me is very nice:

"Heart shell opens to reveal
a gem that lights up the darkness
Little moments of connection
mean more than she could know
Her ways are an anchor
to people who need a friend
She shines brighter than she thinks.
Her words will live on.

Louise Moriarty

Something different for the day.

There is a place on the internet to look for a poem a day.
Perhaps I will do this each day as it may be inspirational
for me and brighten each new day.

The Knight and his Lady

“The Knight and his Lady” is a poem which

I wrote for Australia Day poetry. A poem

was required with an Australian flavour for

the Australia Day poetry of Poetry in Paradise

group.  I also think of the poem as The Lady

and her Knight.

This poem has also been included in Joan Small's

e-book of poetry for Australia Day from poets of

Poetry in Paradise which Joan has

very kindly put together.

I include the poem here and there were a few late minute

revisions and editing which have not been included in

the e-book version of my poem. The last paragraph

unfortunately has been omitted. This may have been due to

time pressures.

The Knight and his Lady

And in this land of great contrasts,

where ocean swells and sunset spells

cast magic over the gathering night

purple mountains and crimson light

the outback, desert, storm weathered trees

and silent plains,

in silhouette

enduring beauty lasts;-

Where birds of great plumage

Stir in trees, sparking colours

in the breeze

And a golden daffodil sways on a hill

And a little gold-fish swims in a pool so still

And out of the darkness reached this light

A golden beam ever bright

The Knight and his Lady

from the Night;

The Knight and his Lady

from distant times:

His bow was courteous

And her curtsy swept the floor:

“Oh, My Lord! Is it really you?

Did you not know that I was ever true?”

A horse so sturdy from the land,

Bedecked in colours from his hand

In majestic circles pawed the ground

This one time the Knight was found:

In the Lady's dreams or not?

For down through the ages

Bereft or still

The Lady dreamt of her Knight!

And today, in Australia

on these golden shores

Where the sea-gulls

echo, and cry and soar

Where azure skies do meet the sea

and the sand glistens, mesmerising, beautiful

And the lady on the shore

Looks out as before:

Awaiting her Knight

From old-time lore:-

This Knight and the Lady

presently met

Where from old times

they always went

And time together

was often spent;

Now in passing

She wonders why

The Lord and his Lady-

The times went by:

Now in increasing shadows and loneliness

The Lady reasons with her Knight

Why from Australia must they flee in flight?

A beauteous country,

Australia IS:

If only there is room for the Lady and her Knight:

God speed and good wishes for the Lady and her Knight:

A beauteous dream if there ever be:

A good Lady and her courtly knight:

From the casement windows of a keep

The Lady sees the contours and the sheep

As it was in England after a long sleep:

“ Oh, My Lord, is it really you?

I sang your praises loud and true:

I watched as sunlight glinted bright

And the Heavens gleamed in a starry night:

And the birds would echo, arch and soar

flap golden wings

ocean flecked spray and sunlight as before:”

There from the shadows

Spied she

The Knight's bright carriages

and entourage,

They travelled far

in these wind-swept times;

Songs of love

and distant shows

Courtly minstrels recited poetry

As evening glows:

How far we've come

to a distant shore:-

the land of blizzards

and temperate clime

Where the eels and lizzards

find their space

From the space of another time;

Now in the evening glow

As fire-light crackles

And the sparks do jump

With great forests of ever-green:

The Lord and his Lady enjoy the scene:

As their life has once been

Now will they

their lives redeem:

“My Lord, for you

I would always care-

This I knew

For many a year.”

Good luck, good wishes

and all the best

Now for a love ever blessed:

God in his mercy

looks down from above

Sees the beauty of enduring love.

I would also like to wish everyone a Happy New Year

for 2012 and hope that this year is a good year.

I have also been fortunate to find two wonderful books

with illustrations by Pro Hart of poetry of Banjo Patterson

and Henry Lawson which I will enjoy reading which was

available at a sale. 

I once also found the wonderful book of

"The Sun-King's Garden" by Ian 

which is a magnificent illustrated

book from a sale at Australia Fair.

For an e-book of Australian Poetry for Australia Day

from Poetry in Paradise please refer to Joan Small's

link for the free download: A Kaleidoscope of Aussie Poetry:

http://joansmallpoetryandbooks.com/poetry_in_paradise.html

Best wishes from Sandra