"This week is poetry week," said The (Not So) Small One. "We've got a big poetry homework about WB Yeats. And that poem He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven. What do you know about WB Yeats?"
"Ah," I said. "I don't think I'm the person to ask. You know how you love it that you go to the same school as Granny did? and you sit in the same classroom?"
"Yes.."
"Well, if you ask Granny, she'll tell you about her English teacher who taught in that classroom. She'll tell you how she listened to that teacher talk about Yeats, the man she knew. About his thick green cape and his strange, drawling voice and his striding walk. When Granny told me that story I always imagined him to look a bit like Sherlock Holmes." I said and The (Not So) Small One nodded.
"That's not too many steps away from you, is it?" I said. "It's like that old song. I've danced with a man, who has danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales"
She rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. We've talked about this before. It's like Six Degrees of Separation. And that's cool. But can I do my homework later? I need check to Facebook now.."
"I suppose so," I said, "but remember - Tread softly because you tread on my dreams
Who can you get to through Six Degrees of separation? If I told you we managed Alvin and the Chipmunks that would kind of spoil the mood, wouldn't it? But it'll make a great page
I just love that particular line from the poem, it's long been a favourite of mine:)
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful for The(not so)Small One to have that link to your Mum's school days. The beautiful old building, that housed my school, is now home to lawyers and accountants.
Alvin and the Chipmunks eh? I think that's a great connection.
ReplyDeleteone of my sons briefly went out with a girl whose father was at the same school as saddam hussein's brother, :-(
ReplyDeletenot a very nice connection.
Oh, Sian, you are so clever. I can't think of any connections at the moment...I am just mesmerized by that photo you've posted. It's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteFavourite poem of mine. I met Ewan McGregor in a pub once, does that count? My sister worked with the wife of Ewan's brother ...
ReplyDeleteSian,
ReplyDeleteThank you for that poem today. It spurred me to record an important memory today (http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-spread-our-dreams-beneath-his-feet.html).
I know I'll always be happy that I wrote it down.
Hugs,
Rinda
Hmmm, interesting ancestery you have Sian:) I'm sure we must be related to the origional harrods owners. There are only two of us in the local phone book....us and the in laws.
ReplyDeleteLovely post! I am just have a nose and visiting all the admins from The Felt Fairy's monthly makes - I am Miss September lol x
ReplyDeleteGreat post. 6 degrees of swparation? I'll have to think on't
ReplyDeletewe don't get enough poetry in our lives these days. thanks for the memory of a beautiful verse. and how cool that your daughter goes to your mom's former school!
ReplyDeleteI have a few people of interest, the first is actually a relative, a composer, Robert Schumann -
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Schumann
Then I have connections to one or two other people you may have heard of ....
Barbara Striesand
Hugh Jackman
Kylie Minogue
One was a neighbour of a relative, one was a family friend of my SIL and one was the sibling of someone TE went to school with ... can you guess?
I love that poem and have a part of it embroidered on a heart!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Christmas and a fulfilling New Year in which all your hopes and dreams come true! love Annie xx
That's probably my favourite poem, Sian. How wonderful that your daughter and Mum went to the same school.
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Sian. I don't have any connections to the poem, but my father and I both attended the same elementary school, and we both had the same sixth grade teacher!
ReplyDeleteAmy - I have someone here who is interested in that Kylie connection than is really good for his health..
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the 6 degrees of separation - we were only talking about that at the weekend. no connections to anyone famous but weird connections made in far away places to things close to home and family which always make you realise how small the world is.
ReplyDeletei also know someone who would love any kind of connection to Kylie!
oh and I'm married to someone who met the woman who does Heidi Klum's hair (and consequently met her too!) - does this count?
Lots of six degrees things it is a common habit around here - international work and MTV both help too :-)
ReplyDeletePerhaps I could claim to be BFF with Alex Baldwin and Katie Couric because, like them, I play Words with Friends...or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteStill memorable though is something that happened more than 40 years ago. I went to the beauty shop on the Army base where I lived at the time to have my hair cut. Chatting with the hairdresser, we figured out that we were in the same graduating class in our high school, which was some 2000 miles away from where we were at the time. Talk about an unlikely meeting!
What a lovely story and a lovely poem and beautiful picture but how typical the not so small one would rather have a look on facebook first - sigh - the youth of today lol
ReplyDeleteOooh, what a lovely story. I love the 6 degrees idea for a page too. And the picture is stunning.
ReplyDeleteOne of my own favourites, too - and I admiring your lovely photo, Sian. That takes me back ..
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post Sian. It got me to thinking and bingo in no time I came up with 2 (both through my paternal grandparents) and what totally different people. Robert Service (the poet) and Jesse James (the outlaw).
ReplyDeleteI've never read any Yeats but you have me interested now - I'll have to check out that poem.