There are times when hindsight gives a clarity that is astounding… I should have voted with the doctor for stitches rather than voting for no stitches. Her wisdom has been so correct…she gave me two scenarios: One: get stitches, likely lose my nail, but my finger would heal faster…but likely probably with more pain. Two: no stitches, perhaps keep my nail, heal slower, but with less pain… and here I am more than a week in and my finger is still not healed and still not fully functional. My frustration level is moving towards the “off the charts” realm and I am sick of the entire process of healing/cleaning/bandaging/etc. (And while I can sort of type… mainly it is an activity that increases my frustration level!)
If ever there was a need in my life for poetry, it is this morning. And today… I am sharing two poems that I truly love. The first, In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti. This poem has always been one of my favorite hymns, but I did not know about Christina or her poetry until I did some research on the poem. Below is a very unique version of the hymn… which is usually sung by a boys choir (and quite beautifully, I might add) but there was something just stunning about this rendition.
And how can one ease into winter without a bit of Robert Frost? This poem sort of sums up my week ahead… I have miles to go before I can be ready for Christmas! lol
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by ROBERT FROST
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” from The Poetry of Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright 1923, © 1969 by Henry Holt and Company, Inc., renewed 1951, by Robert Frost. Reprinted with the permission of Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
I will see you all back here on Wednesday with some knitting updates (hopefully!)
Happy Monday all!
Photo by Simon Berger from Pexels
Poetry has powers to soothe the troubled soul, and these are both lovely. I’m hoping your troubled finger regains more function. I tend to take my fingers and hands for granted when they are functioning correctly, but there is a big impact when they are not. Sending all the good healthy finger juju!
Yes! I am sending healing finger juju to you as well! I love both of these poems…and we have several Loreena McKennitt CDs where she sings In the Bleak Midwinter. Beautiful. Robert Frost has always been a favorite of mine. We used to drive past his place in Vermont in the summer!!
I am sorry to hear about your finger, i do hope the healing continues albeit rather slowly x
I’m so sorry that your finger is still hurting and not healed. I hope it improves greatly and very soon!
Oh ugh, Kat, I’m sorry about your finger – sending healing wishes! and thank you for that YouTube link. In the Bleak Midwinter seems to be my theme song this year.
I hope your finger turns a corner soon… that sounds weird, but y’know! EVERYTHING IS WEIRD!
Jamie Cullum! Oh my goodness, what a lovely rendition of that song and now I have his new “album,” The Pianoman at Christmas (3 discs) cued up on Spotify. Jazzy Christmas seems to be my jam lately… Leslie Odom Jr. is about all I’ve been able to tolerate in the holiday vein until now. (And maybe a little Buble.)
Well darn it anyway. I hope that finger heals in the coming days. Christina Rossetti was an interesting poet. Both of those poems are dear to me and perfect for this week.
Oh dear. Kat, I am so sorry to hear that your finger is still preventing you from doing everything you’d like to. I hope that the healing process doesn’t last much longer and that in the meantime you can find something to ease the frustration.
I am not very familiar with “In the Bleak Midwinter” (for obvious reasons), but “Stopping by Woods …” is perhaps my favorite poem of all time. I have it memorized!
I am so sorry about your finger, Kat. When given the choice, I always opt for stitches. They aren’t fun, for sure. But the healing is easier. (And I am L.A.Z.Y.) Is it too late to “glue” the wound? (Or did they already do that?) Once when Brian cut a finger (school project), they “glued” the wound instead of giving him stitches . . . and it seemed to work pretty well. Anyway, I’m sending all the healing juju your way. Hang in there! XO
(And Bleak Midwinter is my favorite Christmas song.)