larrabee@decwrl.DEC.COM (Tracy Larrabee) (03/19/86)
In -Out of Africa- Dennys washes the Baroness's hair while reciting part of a poem (she even accuses him of skipping a verse). I really liked the sound of the poem. The verse I remember went something like: They love best that prey best both man and bird and beast I read the book, and no such poem was mentioned (in fact, very little involving anything even remotely personal was mentioned). The poem sounds like it is authored by one of the romantics, but I haven't been able to find it in any of the "index of first lines" I have looked through. Any pointers would be appreciated. ------ larrabee@decwrl decwrl!larrabee Tracy Larrabee
smith@ethos.UUCP (Gary J. Smith) (03/20/86)
In article <1759@decwrl.DEC.COM> larrabee@decwrl.UUCP (Tracy Larrabee) writes: > >In -Out of Africa- Dennys washes the Baroness's hair while reciting part >of a poem (she even accuses him of skipping a verse). I really liked the >sound of the poem. The verse I remember went something like: > > They love best > that prey best > both man and bird and beast > > >I read the book, and no such poem was mentioned (in fact, very little >involving anything even remotely personal was mentioned). The poem sounds >like it is authored by one of the romantics, but I haven't been able to >find it in any of the "index of first lines" I have looked through. As I thought about this question, my first thought was that the poem the Baroness recited at Denny's funeral was the same as the one Denny recited to her while they were on safari. I now think that they are two different poems. Nevertheless, here's the one she recited at the funeral (I think she may have omitted the next-to-last verse): TO AN ATHLETE DYING YOUNG The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high. To-day, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town. Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay, And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose. Eyes the shady night has shut Cannot see the record cut, And silence sounds no worse than cheers After earth has stopped the ears. Now you will not swell the rout Of lads that wore their honours out, Runners whom renown outran And the name died before the man. So set, before its echoes fade, The fleet foot on the sill of shade, And hold to the low lintel up The still-defended challenge-cup. And round that early-laurelled head Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, And find unwithered on its curls The garland briefer than a girl's. - A. E. Housman c. March 1895, 1896 Gary J. Smith @ ETHOS, Durham, North Carolina ======================================================================== uucp: ihnp4!burl!ethos!smith usm: 707 Ninth St #13 phn: 919/286-7055 mcnc!rti-sel!ethos!smith Durham, NC 27705 bbs: 919/286-3573