Perhaps I had ambitions to be an MP - or an undertaker!

Friday, February 17, 2012

No.186

WISE MEN SAY

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care
for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.
(Buddha)

-o0o-

THROUGH THE CAMERA LENS

This photo is the copyright of Stephen Sweeney and licensed
for reuse under a Creative Common Licence



This is Wallace's Well, just a few miles from my home. It's said to be the place where William Wallace (1272-1305) had a drink shortly before being captured. He was handed over to Edward I of England who had him executed for treason.

-o0o-

POETRY FOR PLEASURE

The Queen's Marys
(Anon)

Yestre'en the Queen had four Marys
The nicht she'll hae but three,
There was Mary Seaton and Mary Beaton
And Mary Carmichael and me.

Oh, little did my mother think
The day she cradled me,
The lands I was tae travel in,
The death I was tae dee.

Oh, often hae I dressed my Queen,
And put gowd in her hair;
But noo I've gotten for my reward,
The gallows tae be my share.

Oh, happy, happy is the maid,
That's born o' beauty free,
It was ma dimplin' rosy cheek,
That's been the dool o' me.

Yestre'en the Queen had four Marys
The nicht she'll hae but three,
There was Mary Seaton and Mary Beaton
Mary Carmichael and me

In the past it was believed that the Four Marys were ladies-in-waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots. However, official records of the time name just three Marys who attended the Queen in France - Seaton, Beaton and Livingston.

There are a number of different versions of the poem and some tell that the unfortunate Mary had an illegitimate child with Lord Darnley, the Queen's husband. She drowned the baby and was hanged for her crime.

It may well be that the ballad is just an interesting tale with no basis in fact.

-o0o-

JOHN’S GALLERY



Suspense
by Charles Burton Barber (1845-1894)

-o0o-

MY KIND OF MUSIC

Jascha Heifetz plays The Girl with the Flaxen Hair by Claude Debussy, with Emanuel Bay at the piano. Uploaded by SamLee0519



-o0o-

A QUOTE FOR 80 PLUS

As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body, but can never be so in mind. (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

-o0o-

Next post Monday 20th February

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-


No comments: