SI Sunderland member Ann Brown has been keeping members inspired and involved during Lockdown with her weekly ‘Poetry Please’ emails. The first edition, a single poem, was delivered on the 2nd April and since then nine more editions have been shared. Ann believes that friendship and support are what we need at this traumatic time and is something Soroptomists easily give and receive. She enjoys reading both to herself and out loud an eclectic mix of poetry. Some traditional, some modern, some sad, some comedic with each poem relaying a message to the reader or listener. Sunderland members welcomed the poetry and began to send Ann their favourites to which she added images, each edition now has 3 pages of varied poems.
Friendship buds and blossoms, like summer in full dress
Friendships bring a harvest of joy and happiness
Friendship is sustaining, through winter winds and snows
Friendship can’t be hoarded, by being shared it grows
Last week a traditional poem was sent in by Pat Howe, Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats 1888:
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.
Well done Ann and all the other contributors for giving us something to stir both our imagination and emotions.