Poems

My Symphony
To live content with small means.
To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion.
To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich.
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly.
To listen to stars and birds, to listen and sages, with open heart.
To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony. ~ William Ellery Channing




The Nature Of Love

Love is the river of life in this world.
Think not that ye know it stand at the little tinkling rill-the first small fountain.
Not until you have gone through the rocky gorge, and not lost the stream;
not until you have gone through the meadow,
and the stream has widened and deepened until fleets could ride on its bosom;
not until beyond the meadow you have come to the unfathomable ocean,
and poured your treasures into its depth not until then can you know
what love is. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it. ~ Confucius