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Tuesday 20 December 2016

Xanadu

Kubla Khan  by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.



In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure -drome decree;

 Where Alph the sacred river ran

 Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea.

 So twice five miles of  fertile ground 

With walls and towers were girded round; 

 And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,

 Where blossomed many an incense- bearing tree

 And here were forests ancient as the hills,

 Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

 But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted


 Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!

 A savage place! as holy and enchanted

 As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted


 By woman wailing for her demon - lover! And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething.

 As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,

 A mighty fountain was momently was forced:

 Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst

 Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,

 Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail: 

And mid these dancing dancing rocks at once and ever

 It flung up momently the sacred river 

Five miles meandering with a mazy motion

 Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,



 Then reached the caverns measureless to man, 

And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean:

 And 'mid this Kubla heard from far,

Ancestral voices prophesying war,

  The shadow of the dome of pleasure

 floated midway on the waves;

 Where was heard the mingled measure

 From the fountain and the caves.

It was the miracle of rare device

  A sunny pleasure-dome within caves of ice!

 A damsel with a dulcimer

 In a vision once I saw;

 It was an Abyssinian maid

 And on her dulcimer she played,



 Singing of Mount Abora,

 Could I revive within me

  Her symphony and song,

 To such a deep delight 'twould win me,

 That with music loud and long,

 I would build that dome in the air,

 That sunny dome! Those caves of ice!

 And all who heard should see them there,

 And all should cry, Beware! Beware!

His flashing eyes, his floating hair!

 Weave a circle round him thrice,

  And close your eyes with holy dread

 For he on honey-dew hath fed,

 And drunk the milk of Paradise.







And so I will say goodbye and wish you all the Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas one and all.....My thanks to all the team that keep ABCW running particularly Denise Roger Leslie and all Santa's little helpers....
Best wishes,
Di.
ABCW team.


34 comments:

  1. I remember the year I did Xanadu and just loved it. Have a Merry Christmas!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Zanadu was part of my Gce's when I was at college and I too loved it the pure iagination of it all,
      Merry Christmas,
      Best wishes,
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  2. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ellen lets pray too for World peace,
      Merry Christmas,
      Best wishes,
      Di.
      ABCW team
      .

      Delete
  3. excellent poem! And Merry Xmas to you and yours, Di...

    Leslie
    abcw team

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Leslie, it is a thought provoking piece of poetry,
      I love Coleridge although it was widely known he was
      an Opium addict, hence the almost 'fantasty' style of writing,
      I mean, how often do you encounter a maiden playing a dulcimer
      in the woods when you take Tegan for a walk ?
      Merry Christmas to you and family and Tegan too,
      Love Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  4. good choice, and NOT Xmas!
    ROG, ABCW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Roger, and not Xmas indeed...Bah Humbug!
      It was etched on my brain by a extremely sanctimonious
      Priest that it was a taboo word and only used by foreigners!
      Every good wish for Christmas,
      love Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  5. Lovely read and even prettier pictures accompanying the words

    Merry Christmas :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dee Dee,
      Glad you enjoyed it and the pretty pictures via Mr Google !
      best wishes from
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  6. I studied Coleridge decades back in college..this poem evoked pleasant memories:) Thank you Di:)
    Merry Christmas:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Amit, I too studied Coleridge for my GCE's, we covered The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner which was quite a challenge !

      Best wishes to you and yours over the Festive Season,
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  7. I didn't know this poem but it touches me. Like a lifestory with happy and sad moments in it

    Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones
    Have a nice ABC-Wednesday / _ Week
    ♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc=w=team)
    http://melodymusic.nl/abc-wednesday-19x/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Melody glad that poem has 'touched' you, Coleridge is quite a deep writer, have you ever read his Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, thats good but rather long but quite poignant,I feel pretty sure you would like it.
      have a lovely Christmas,
      best wishes,
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  8. Replies
    1. Hi Gattina, Glad you like the poem, I'm a great fan of Coleridge he sometimes reminds me of Lewis Carroll and his fantasies into Wonderland,
      Have a lovely Christmas,
      Best wishes,
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  9. Lovely post, photos and poem ~ thanks,

    Wishing you a Happy Christmas ~ ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carol, glad you like my offering, as you well know
      X is not the easiest letter to cover!
      Sincere Christmas wishes to you,
      from Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  10. Nicely illustrated Diane. One of those opening lines you never forget.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed Joy! I was so exasperated trying to conjour up a post for X I said to my husband, "Give me a word starting with the letter X"..... "Xanadou" was the response...
      Immediately sprung to mind. In Xanadou did Kubla Khan...
      You are spot on there !
      Every good wish for a peaceful and happy Christmas,
      From,
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  11. A very merry Christmas! And a very happy New year. May all your wishes come true. Di!
    Love and peace from Wil

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Wil,
      Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your warm Christmas message,
      I wish you Peace and Joy at Christmas time,
      love from,
      Di,

      Delete
  12. Very good poem. It was pleasure to read it. Nice pics too Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Klara,
      glad you enjoyed the poem, it certainly evokes thoughts of another land far away from here. Thank you for your kind comments,
      Merry Christmas,
      Best wishes,
      Di,
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  13. To be able to describe what one feels so amazingly. Merry Christmas, Di. Peace and Love,
    Susie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed Susie !
      I hope you have a peaceful and Happy Christmas, not forgetting The dear Husband and lovely fluff ball, Molly the cat...Look up and there you will see The dear Mama smiling down upon you and wishing you joy. xxx
      Happy Christmas ,
      love Di,
      ABCW team.

      Delete
    2. Thank you, Di. You've made my Christmas. Love you.

      Delete
    3. I'm really pleased to read what you have
      just said, so poignant,
      Love n hugs dear Susie,
      Di xxx

      Delete
  14. And the very best to you too, Di. Lovely end of year post! XX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks FP, I consider your words an accolade
      to my literary endeavors,
      Have a wonderful Christmas and peaceful New year.
      love Di.
      xxx

      Delete
  15. I didn't know about him! Very informative post. Happy ABCW!
    Wish you and all your loved ones a happy new year!

    ReplyDelete
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I usually like to reply to your comments but for some reason when i do post a reply it just diappears, any advice would be most welcome,Thanks Di x

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