A Poison Tree - poem by William Blake

A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

William Blake

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, - Poem by Lord Byron

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the Universe, and feel
What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal.

-- Lord Byron, (George Gordon)

This scene is from the Palani - Kodaikanal Road

Happy Valentine's Day - poem by Del “Abe” Jones

Hearts and Flowers

A day for hearts and flowers
The time to say you care
A chance to tell your loved ones
You're glad that they are there.

But!, wonder why we wait
Until, this certain day
To do those "special" things
And, say those things we say?

Why not? Tell mate or lover
Each day, the whole year through
"Valentine, I'm glad you're mine
And, I sure do love you".

Del “Abe” Jones

We should learn the basics of love from the Nature - Amma's Article

Here's the traslation of Matha Amrithanandamayi's article from the Malayalam Daily Mathrubhumi

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LEARN THE BASICS OF LOVE FROM NATURE

My dear children
There is no greater University than the Nature. What all lessons she teaches us? We should carefully watch the Nature. However small we see it will show us bigger views. It will light our mind. Our life will be a celebration of joy.
Look at a River. On its way from the High Mountains it softly caresses everyone along its way to the Ocean. We should be like this River. Anyone can bath in the river, the river is not bothered about what gender or what race are those who approach her belong to. She is not bothered at all if you like it or not. She does not mind why you came to her but gives everything she has. The River does not care if you came to bath or drink or wash. When one person encompasses this quality we can it compassion. This is the first lesson we learn from Nature. This compassion should be nurtured in us.
What is the meaning of the saying "Plant Ten trees, if you fell one?" Is that sufficient? Not at all. It is like changing a big Teakwood pillar and replacing it with ten match-sticks. Not even a hundred saplings can give the coolness and shade a big tree can provide. My children, you should never think The Mother advices you against planting Trees. If you want to cut a Tree, before that we have to plant a sapling and wait for it to grow into a tree. A small sapling can never give as much as a big tree gives to the Nature. Only one spoonful of chlorine can clean a bucket of water, not one or two granules. When trees are destroyed be aware that it is the end of the mankind. See how much animals are becoming extinct everyday. As the climate is changed more species are lost. Fireflies are not at all seen in cities now.
There was once a liquor seller. He asked his wife to pray for more people to become his clients. When a drinker heard that he asked her to pray for his business too to increase. And what was his profession? He was a coffin-seller. This is the present state of the World.
Look once again into the Nature. She gives everyone everything without expecting anything in return. My children should never be a part of anything that disturbs or destroys Nature. Nature is the biggest teacher. Her sacrifice should be the ultimate lesson for us. We are bound to return at least a millionth of this to Nature. We should always be very loving to everyone around us.
You might have heard the story of Sakuntala. Muni Kanwa got her from Nature, from the forest. While she was leaving the Ashram when grown up, the jasmine plant she watered and tended to did not let her go by encircling her. The animals cried. These all show, if we love the trees and animals they will surely love us back. Swimming in selfishness, we are even unaware what love is. We should learn the basics of love from the Nature. We should open our eyes and ears every time to the Nature. Set aside some time everyday for the Nature. The lessons the Nature teaches us will make the world a peaceful haven. My children should realize this. My children should live accordingly and spread the word.

C'mon Let's Plant a Tree - The Orkut Community

Orkut has a Plant a Tree Community with very active "Green" discussions going on. From its preface "Plant at least ONE tree in a public place. Protect it for a few years by fencing and watering. See it growing with you. You will definitely feel proud on a future day when you see a pedestrian resting below, children playing around or a couple romancing beside. Birds sitting on it will thank you with a morning song."

Here's the link

Please join there and support.

Nobody knows this little Rose - A Poem by Emily Dickinson

Nobody knows this little Rose

Nobody knows this little Rose—
It might a pilgrim be
Did I not take it from the ways
And lift it up to thee.
Only a Bee will miss it—
Only a Butterfly,
Hastening from far journey—
On its breast to lie—
Only a Bird will wonder—
Only a Breeze will sigh—
Ah Little Rose—how easy
For such as thee to die!

Emily Dickinson

Snow storms destroy one tenth of China's forests

China has lost about one tenth of its forest resources to recent snow storms regarded as the most severe in half a century, state media reported Sunday.

A total of 17.3 million hectares (43 million acres) of forest have been damaged across China as the result of three weeks of savage winter weather, the China Daily website said, citing the State Forestry Administration.

More than half the country's provinces have been affected, and in the worst-hit regions, nearly 90 percent of forests have been destroyed, according to the paper.

Read on

Perhaps you'd like to buy a flower - Poem by Emily Dickinson

Perhaps you'd like to buy a flower

Perhaps you'd like to buy a flower,
But I could never sell—
If you would like to borrow,
Until the Daffodil

Unties her yellow Bonnet
Beneath the village door,
Until the Bees, from Clover rows
Their Hock, and Sherry, draw,

Why, I will lend until just then,
But not an hour more!

Emily Dickinson

Lost in the Forest - A poem by Pablo Neruda

Lost in the forest...

Lost in the forest, I broke off a dark twig
and lifted its whisper to my thirsty lips:
maybe it was the voice of the rain crying,
a cracked bell, or a torn heart.

Something from far off it seemed
deep and secret to me, hidden by the earth,
a shout muffled by huge autumns,
by the moist half-open darkness of the leaves.

Wakening from the dreaming forest there, the hazel-sprig
sang under my tongue, its drifting fragrance
climbed up through my conscious mind

as if suddenly the roots I had left behind
cried out to me, the land I had lost with my childhood---
and I stopped, wounded by the wandering scent.

Pablo Neruda

The Faded Flower - A poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Faded Flower

Ungrateful he, who pluck'd thee from thy stalk,
Poor faded flow'ret! on his careless way;
Inhal'd awhile thy odours on his walk,
Then onward pass'd and left thee to decay.
Ah! melancholy emblem! had I seen
Thy modest beauties dew'd with Evening's gem,
I had not rudely cropp'd thy parent stem,
But left thee, blushing, 'mid the enliven'd green.
And now I bend me o'er thy wither'd bloom,
And drop the tear - as Fancy, at my side,
Deep-sighing, points the fair frail Abra's tomb -
'Like thine, sad Flower, was that poor wanderer's pride!
Oh! lost to Love and Truth, whose selfish joy
Tasted her vernal sweets, but tasted to destroy!'

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Flower- A poem by Rabindranath Tagore

Flower

Pluck this little flower and take it, delay not! I fear lest it
droop and drop into the dust.

I may not find a place in thy garland, but honour it with a touch of
pain from thy hand and pluck it. I fear lest the day end before I am
aware, and the time of offering go by.

Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower
in thy service and pluck it while there is time.

Rabindranath Tagore

Tears Fill the Earth - A poem by Sophia White

Tears Fill the Earth

Too tired. Gazing up. Life gone.
The world is terribly white.
Very scared. Eyes wide. Heart numb.
My dreams are nowhere in sight.

How can I go on?
The road is much too lonely.
The flowers once were lovely
But now they’re gone
And tears fill the earth.

Nerves tingling. Ears ringing. Voice dead.
Tears stream down my face.
Blankly staring. Not even caring. Like death.
Such a very frightening place.

Dare I walk another day?
I hold a pool of tears in my hands
Watching them drain into the sand
Running down on their grieving way
And tears fill the earth.

Sophia White