Paul Revere

Well, a funny thing happened over at “the Shop“. Have you checked it lately?

I made the mistake of reading Paul Revere’s Ride aloud to the kids. Before you get all impressed, imagining my herd quietly sitting at my feet as they hung on Longfellow’s every word, let me just say, they disappeared before I got through the third stanza.

But that didn’t stop me. NO, I kept reading ((with appropriate inflections)) all the way to the end. Speaking of the end, wow is it just me or is that poem a TEAR-JERKER?!! Not to give anything away but:

And one was safe and asleep in his bed

Who at the bridge would be the first to fall,

Who that day would be lying dead,

Pierced by a British musket-ball.

Oh, how different our world would be if all would take 20 minutes and read these words aloud. Trust me, it will awaken a renewed love and deepened appreciation this beautiful chunk of rock we call home.

Thank you, good night and God bless America.

Are you wondering when the funny part of this story starts? Well, here it is: 4 hours after posting this book for sale in my shop, I cancelled the listing. 

That is how it goes my friends… God is awesome, I love food, I love my herd, I love my bunnies, I think shoes and diamonds are pretty great, Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride” makes me cry and I change my mind often. All in a day’s work.

Here is the cancelled listing if you are interested:

• For Sale ((by Emily)) – Favorite Poems of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1947 with color illustrations by Edward A. Wilson. Not for sale – I changed my mind ((sorry). I have talked about this book all night! I think I am in love, that Longfellow… he wrote some good stuff!

This book is a treasure of American literary talent. I paused to read Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride”, and I must say – I cried. It is beautiful. Why am I selling this??!!

Listen, my children, and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,

Of the North Church tower as a signal light, —

One, if by land, two, if by sea;

Oh what a lovely poem that captures the heart of the beginnings of our great nation..

You know the rest. In books you have read,

How the British Regulars fired and fled, —

How the farmers gave them ball for ball,

From behind each fence and farm-yard wall,

Chasing the red-coats down the lane,

Then crossing the fields to emerge again

Under the trees at the turn of the road,

And only pausing to fire and load.

…

A cry of defiance and not of fear,

…

In the hour of darkness and peril and need,

The people will waken and listen to hear

The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,

And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

 $20 I take it back, I can’t bring myself to sell it!