Sonnets from the Portuguese XXIX

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning



I think of thee!---my thoughts do twine and bud
About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,
Put out broad leaves, and soon there's nought to see
Except the straggling green which hides the wood.
Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood
I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly
Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,
And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee
Drop heavily down,---burst, shattered, everywhere!
Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee
And breathe within thy shadow a new air,
I do not think of thee---I am too near thee

Un sueño contigo

Something different again, this time from my corner of the world

Since I'm sharing a bit of everything, I decided to throw this in as well. After all, as many of you already know, this huge adventure I'm soon setting off on is greatly about cultural exchange anyway.

An old friend of the family - who is also a song-writer - was compiling a CD of guaranias (a style of music from Paraguay) he had written over the years. He said he had recently written one with me in mind to sing it, a quite flattering statement! So we recorded this song in January 2009. The title means "A dream with you".

We were also invited to a folk music tv program, for which we filmed some landscapes and old colonial houses in San Bernardino, a small town outside Asunción. Everyone says it looks very nice, and I've been meaning to call the station to ask for a copy... but I keep forgetting! Ok, I'm calling tomorrow; and hopefully some of us will be watching it together soon!