Starway to the skies

by Within Temptation

Album: The Unforgiving (2011)




Lyric:

Seven seconds to the rise
Can't believe I'm still alive
And heaven was waiting for me
I thought this would be the end
But I know you'll understand
All that is keeping me here

I dream of a stairway to the skies
My angel is coming down from heaven to take me
I reach out but then you fade away
Whenever you call for me
Know that I'm only one step behind

My senses tell me I have changed
But one this still remains
I'm torn and the hate's still aching
I slowly start to realize
We won't reunite
I still have to march on through

I dream of a stairway to the skies
My angel is coming down from heaven to take me
I reach out but then you fade away
Whenever you call for me
Know that I'm only one step behind

Is it a curse or a virtue?
Have I been blinded by regret?
Perdition awaits
My soul is at stake
Will I find a stairway to the skies in the end?

I dream of a stairway to the skies
My angel is coming down from heaven to take me
I reach out but then you fade away
Whenever you call for me
Know that I'm only one step behind
Know that I'm only one step behind

Cinquain

During these two weeks we learned about Cinquain in our Creative Writing Class. As I said before, poetry is not my talent or even interest. As a result I think that the class will be more difficult for me. However, it turns into the otherwise. It turns to be lots of fun!

First, we learn about Cinquain, I think this is the simplest kind of poetry. Theoretically, it should consist of 5 lines. There are some ways to make it, for example:

Pattern #1

Line1: One word

Line2: Two words

Line 3: Three words

Line 4: Four words

Line 5: One word

or

Pattern #2

Line1: A noun

Line2: Two adjectives

Line 3: Three -ing words

Line 4: A phrase

Line 5: Another word for the noun

or

Pattern #3

Line1: Two syllables

Line2: Four syllables

Line 3: Six syllables

Line 4: Eight syllables

Line 5: Two syllables

 

Secondly, we should look for a topic or a theme. For example: life, love, etc.

And this is what I've made for the Pattern 3

 

Memories
Stands still behind
Faithfully following me
Penetrates like acute cancer
it's me  

 

So what about to start making one by one?

A Child's Garden of Verses

By: R. L. Stevenson

Again, I found treasures when I came by at a second-hand book store: Five old classic English books! To list them are: A biography of Madame Curie written by Eve Curie, Louisa Mary Alcott’s Little Women, Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, The Royal Crown Readers with Coloured Illustration – Book 1, and R. L. Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses. Soon they become other rich new family members for my personal library collection.

Hitherto I tend to read novels than poetry, but after reading the first page of Mr. Stevenson poem, I could not stop. It amazed me with simple yet delicate well-arranged words. All of them were taken from childhood memories of young Stevenson who had spent almost her early ages in bed by the care of his beloved nurse due to his body weakness. However, they do not lack of imaginative ideas, even though sometimes simple in themes. My eyes and mind are spoilt with well-rhymed words contained of many experiences, joys and dreams the young R .L. S. had. And I think he was a genius!

As a grown up, most of us often forget about our childhood moments. On the contrary, children of every age love playing and games, observing new things, and imagining adventurous dreams. We can find them in this book where Mr. Stevenson describes them beautifully. Take an example,

“O what a joy to clamber there,

 O what a place for play,

 With the sweet, the dim, the dusty air,

 The happy hills of hay.”

(taken from The Hayloft)

Or this,

“When at home alone I sit,

 And am very tired of it,

 I have just shut my eyes

 To go sailing through the skies-

 To go sailing far away

 To the pleasant Land of Play;

 To the fairy land afar

 Where the Little People are;”

(taken from The Little Land)

There are some poems especially dedicated to his mother and also his nurse.

“You too, my mother, read my rhymes

 For the love of forgotten times,

 And you may chance to hear once more

 The little feet along the floor.”

(taken from To My Mother)

Some others tell about his feeling when he should be in bed while the day was a very fine; how he longed for playmates, yet found his joy merely by reading a picture story-book!  

“And does it not seem hard to you,

 When all the sky is clear and blue,

 And I should like so much to play,

 To have to go to bed by day?”

(taken from Bed in Summer)

And,

“How am I to sing your praise,

 Happy chimney-corner, days,

 Sitting safe in the nursery nooks,

 Reading picture story-books?”

(taken from Picture-Books in Winter)

Mr. Stevenson also poured out his thoughts about being a children and what should their duty are, instead of playing and games.

“A child should always say what’s true,

 And speak when he is spoken to,

 And behave mannerly at table;

 At least as far as he is able.”

(taken from Whole Duty of Children)

Also, he talked about the rain, the changing seasons, the farm and its livestock, traveling, and flowers in the garden. Even, last but not least, he made a special poem for his readers.

“Whether upon the garden seat

 You lounge with your uplifted feet

 Under the May’s whole Heaven of blue;

 Or whether on the sofa you,

 No grown up person being by,

 Do some soft corner occupy!

 Take this volume in your hands

 And enter into other lands.”

(taken from To Any Reader)

Another link:
http://www.lone-star.net/mall/literature/rls/childs-garden-of-verses.htm