if you recite poetry to me, you'll be my hero.

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,

Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths

Of night and light and the half light,

I would spread the cloths under your feet:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

My professor always whips out poetry and quotes
by whatever author we happen to be discussing at the time.
He does it from memory.
And not only that,
but the way he says each word,
each phrase,
is like it really means something.
Something real and good and magic.
Like if I don't let the words soak into my brain
I would miss something crucial
to my humanity.

I WHISPERED, 'I am too young.'

And then, 'I am old enough';

Wherefore I threw a penny

To find out if I might love.

'Go and love, go and love, young man,

If the lady be young and fair.'

Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,

I am looped in the loops of her hair.

 

O love is the crooked thing,

There is nobody wise enough

To find out all that is in it,

For he would be thinking of love

Till the stars had run away

And the shadows eaten the moon.

Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,

One cannot begin it too soon. 

 

My friend asked me to day why I love English so much. 

I mumbled some incoherent and cheesey answer. 

It didn't really help him to understand. 

(I don't like being put on the spot)

So. Even though he won't read this...

It is moments like these (the poetic, magical ones)

that make me love English the way I do.

Because I have inspiring teachers who help me to understand real life

like it isn't real

and also like it is.

Because studying English brings beauty into my life.

And helps me to see not just the black and the white 

but all shades of gray. And purple. And blue. And red. And green. And yellow. 

Because I feel like reading a good piece of literature 

brings out the goodness in people. 

And there are so many better reasons than this,

but in simple terms, 

it is magic to me. 

 

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”

Roald Dahl 

 

 This has nothing to do with my post. But my post is long. And this picture is also kind of magical.

poems by william butler yeats

nineteen is a good age.

He's officially old enough to take that call he's been given.

(The one I listened to him open at four in the morning while crying in the lobby of a Roman hostel)

In just over a month he'll be on his way to

learning Spanish

living in Guatemala

with the Guatemalans

teaching them life-changing truths

and making the people fall in love with him.

He's the sweetest brother a girl could ask for.

He teaches me kindness. And that it's okay to lighten up sometimes. 

Happy Birthday Big Al!

I sure do love you.

pretty in pink.

I was locked out of my house today.
So I walked up to my grandma's house and watched Pretty in Pink. (on VHS)
Sometimes 80s movies are just what you need.
I may or may not have gotten a little emotional.

And I'd just like to say..



I love Duckie.
He's so dorky and lovable. 
This part alone made my whole day.

I'm such a sucker for a good teenage lovestory.
(and a good lip sync and dance)

yesterday was a good day.

I had lunch with my dad (because it was Tuesday, and on Tuesdays we have lunch)

I could actually feel the sunshine (and it felt good)

I had a text conversation with my little brother using strictly emoticons (not the first time this has happened)

I painted my nails red (thanks to my mom)

I talked about London for an hour straight to people who actually cared (and kept asking questions)

I saw Tangled (again)

I had a lovely conversation with the little girl sitting two seats down from me (about her 3D glasses)

I went to Jimmy John's with my favorite couple

and

I heard an incredible version of one of my favorite Beatles songs (thanks glee)

PS.

How cute is he?

Darn cute. That's how. He has the most kissable cheeks I've ever seen.

I'll be 21 soon.

I, personally, feel like that is kind of a big deal. Apparently, it means I'm sort of growing up. Or getting old (in a I'm still really young sort of way).

And today, all I could think of was this:




My mom told me I am regressing.
The dictionary defines that as, return to a former or less developed state

She also told me I will make a good mom because I still love the things that kids do. 
I think I'll stick with the good mom thing (and forget about the regressing part)

Really though, who doesn't like Mister Rogers??