Poem of the Week ~ The Lady of Shalott, Part IV

It's been a couple of weeks since I've visited, and for what I hope are understandable reasons!  The week of my last post was the one during which my family and I were preparing for my bridal shower, and then the week after consisted of winding down from that joyful event and preparing for a Catholic conference for engaged couples.  Attending that turned out to be a very productive (albeit long) experience that has continued to spark conversation between Jeffrey and me almost a week later.  Now more than ever we possess a joint consciousness of that which we are truly preparing for: our marriage.  While there are many aspects of our wedding day that we still need to finalize, there is a lifetime together for which we ask God daily to keep our focus.  Today marks 100 days until we begin our life together.  Please pray for us as we continue to prepare for this truly momentous and beautiful occasion, that we may grow closer together through God and persevere in developing our relationship with Him.

On to Part IV of The Lady of Shalott (finally)!

The Lady of Shalott  

Part IV

 

In the stormy east-wind straining,

The pale yellow woods were waning,

The broad stream in his banks complaining,

Heavily the low sky raining

 Over tower'd Camelot;

Outside the isle a shallow boat

Beneath a willow lay afloat,

Below the carven stern she wrote,

The Lady of Shalott.

A cloudwhite crown of pearl she dight,

All raimented in snowy white

That loosely flew (her zone in sight

Clasp'd with one blinding diamond bright)

       Her wide eyes fix'd on Camelot,

Though the squally east-wind keenly

Blew, with folded arms serenely

By the water stood the queenly

       Lady of Shalott.

With a steady stony glance—

Like some bold seer in a trance,

Beholding all his own mischance,

Mute, with a glassy countenance—

She look'd down to Camelot.

It was the closing of the day:

She loos'd the chain, and down she lay;

The broad stream bore her far away,

  The Lady of Shalott.

As when to sailors while they roam,

By creeks and outfalls far from home,

Rising and dropping with the foam,

From dying swans wild warblings come,
 Blown shoreward; so to Camelot

Still as the boathead wound along

The willowy hills and fields among,

They heard her chanting her deathsong,

    The Lady of Shalott.

A longdrawn carol, mournful, holy,

She chanted loudly, chanted lowly,

Till her eyes were darken'd wholly,

And her smooth face sharpen'd slowly,

  Turn'd to tower'd Camelot:

For ere she reach'd upon the tide

The first house by the water-side,

Singing in her song she died,

   The Lady of Shalott.

Under tower and balcony,

By garden wall and gallery,

A pale, pale corpse she floated by,

Deadcold, between the houses high,

    Dead into tower'd Camelot.

Knight and burgher, lord and dame,

To the planked wharfage came:

Below the stern they read her name,

   The Lady of Shalott.

They cross'd themselves, their stars they blest,

Knight, minstrel, abbot, squire, and guest.

There lay a parchment on her breast,

That puzzled more than all the rest,

The wellfed wits at Camelot.

'The web was woven curiously,

The charm is broken utterly,

Draw near and fear not,—this is I,

 The Lady of Shalott.'

What are your thoughts about this poem as a whole?

Do you have a favorite part?

Have you read other poems by Tennyson?

 

Poem of the Week ~ The Lady of Shalott, Part III

I hope everyone had a lovely Independence Day!  I most certainly did, spending it with my family, my fiance and his family, and the many guests invited to their annual Independence Day party.  Alas, I had so much fun that I failed to remember to capture the many lovely moments I experienced that day with my camera.  However, I have no doubt that I will remember this celebration for a long time to come.  Making a new side dish with my guy, helping with last-minute preparations, reconnecting with friends, taking a walk with my family, and watching enchanting fireworks on the bank of the lake made for a beautifully memorable day.

Now it's time to introduce Part III of The Lady of Shalott.  I appreciate Tennyson's description of Sir Lancelot, simultaneously masculine and beautiful.  This infamous knight's "coal-black curls" make it easy for me to imagine my Jeffrey as Sir Lancelot.  His energy and optimism stands in such stark contrast to the lady's confinement.  The last stanza in particular is painfully beautiful.  I can imagine the heartbreak of seeing the knight Lancelot and being punished for taking in the rich colors that make up his appearance and appreciating his gallantry.  I think that the juxtaposition of Sir Lancelot's vigor and the lady's despair accentuates her pain, and even more so in the absence of a transition from one part to the next. 

 The Lady of Shalott

Part III

 

A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,

He rode between the barley-sheaves,

The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,

And flam'd upon the brazen greaves

  Of bold Sir Lancelot.

A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd

To a lady in his shield,

That sparkled on the yellow field,

Beside remote Shalott.

The gemmy bridle glitter'd free,

Like to some branch of stars we see

Hung in the golden Galaxy.

The bridle bells rang merrily

As he rode down from Camelot:

And from his blazon'd baldric slung

A mighty silver bugle hung,

And as he rode his armour rung,

Beside remote Shalott. 

All in the blue unclouded weather

Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather,

The helmet and the helmet-feather

Burn'd like one burning flame together,

   As he rode down from Camelot.

As often thro' the purple night,

Below the starry clusters bright,

Some bearded meteor, trailing light,

Moves over green Shalott. 

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;

On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;

From underneath his helmet flow'd

His coal-black curls as on he rode,

As he rode down from Camelot.

From the bank and from the river

He flash'd into the crystal mirror,

'Tirra lirra, tirra lirra:'

Sang Sir Lancelot. 

She left the web, she left the loom

She made three paces thro' the room

She saw the water-flower bloom,

She saw the helmet and the plume,

She look'd down to Camelot.

Out flew the web and floated wide;

The mirror crack'd from side to side;

'The curse is come upon me,' cried

  The Lady of Shalott. 

What are your thoughts on Part III?

Is there a particular stanza that strikes you?

Style Inspiration ~ Miss Potter

Happy Independence Day, all!  It seems that my style inspirations thus far have originated in characters from movies and T.V. shows; upon reflection, this source of inspiration does not surprise me.  I find that there aren't many well-known style icons in reality who set the proper example for femininity.  While this remains the unfortunate case, I have the ability to control my exposure to those whose dress degrades--rather than uplifts--female beauty.  As a film lover, I watch many movies; thankfully, there are many movies that contain lasting examples of truly good moral conduct and simultaneously modest and feminine dress.  One such movie--and one of my favorites--is Miss Potter (2006).  Renee Zellweger makes a slight departure from her previous roles in portraying the romantic life and career progression of Beatrix Potter (28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943), and does so beautifully.  Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson also star in this movie that, though often characterized as sweet and sentimental on the surface, also contains simple and deep lessons in life and love.  Zellweger herself emphasizes these merits in particular in her interview with Rocco Passafuime:

“I don’t think it’s a chick flick at all. I think that underestimates it in a terrible way,” Zellweger insists. “I think it’s far more complex than that. It’s not meant to be female entertainment. It’s an important story and it’s a beautiful story. And I don’t think I’ve met a guy yet who's seen it that didn’t connect to it. It’s just real. It’s a human story.”

Not only is the movie's music score beautifully whimsical and precisely executed, the costumes--accurately inspired by the Victorian/Edwardian period--are quite lovely.  I recently found out that Zellweger's involvement in the film slowly increased and extended beyond acting, including the costuming.

Lovely hat, collar detail, and coat

 "I talked with [costume designer] Anthony [Powell]," Zellweger notes. “We decided that when she was going to be under her mother’s influence, she was going to be more uptight, more rigid, more formal. And as she starts to find her own legs, well, we’re going to show that her clothes get a little bit less tailored and she’s going to grow a bit. She’s going to spread out with the landscape. She’s going to take up a little bit more space, and she’s going to find her voice, and her clothes should be the same to reflect it.” 

Lace top could easily be modernized

An excellent source for replicating the styles displayed in this movie in a modernized way is Kellie Falconer's Inspired by Film Fashion Event of 2013 as featured on her blog, Accordion to Kellie.  The photos taken for this post are just beautiful, and Kellie's ensemble is both accurate and lovely. Do take a look!

Have you seen Miss Potter?
If so, which is your favorite outfit?

  

Floral Scrapbook

During the beautiful month of June, I took many walks.  Born and bred in Virginia, my appreciation for this state's natural beauty has never dimmed, and you'll see why below.  Although these photographs are simple, I took them to remember the glimpses I had the privilege to catch throughout last month.  As I'm particularly drawn to flowers, I tend to keep an eye out for them whenever and wherever I walk, especially during this time of the year, when the foliage and flora are bright, green, and full.  God's beauty permeates every aspect of the world; in order to see it, we must keep our eyes and hearts open. 

What aspects of the natural world are you drawn to in particular?

Is there a place outdoors where you live that makes you feel especially close to God?

Poem of the Week ~ The Lady of Shalott, Part II

Happy July!  I hope this new month finds you well.  I myself awoke this morning to a refreshing optimism and determination to preserve and cultivate my total trust in the Lord.  Although I remain unemployed, I refuse to let a day pass me by without making the most of it.  As I pursue different job leads, I integrate time for prayer and creativity on a daily basis.  I know that God has a plan for me, and as long as I place firmly my faith in Him and work alongside Him to the best of my ability, then I can fall asleep at night knowing that everything will be all right.  Even when my circumstances are not what I wish they were, I must remember that there is immeasurable beauty in my life.  I am incredibly blessed to be a member of a loving family, and my devoted fiance, Jeffrey, and I are exactly four months away from celebrating our wedding.  I have loved and will continue to love, and the love that I receive in return is enough to soften my heart even during the most stressful of times.  I will strive to hold on to the love of my Father, my family, and my fiance, and pray without ceasing, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Now for our poem of the week:  

The Lady of Shalott 

 Part II

 

No time hath she to sport and play:

A charmed web she weaves alway.

A curse is on her, if she stay

Her weaving, either night or day

To look down to Camelot.

She knows not what the curse may be;

Therefore she weaveth steadily,

Therefore no other care hath she, 

The Lady of Shalott.

She lives with little joy or fear.

Over the water, running near,

The sheepbell tinkles in her ear.

Before her hangs a mirror clear,

Reflecting tower'd Camelot.

And as the mazy web she whirls,

She sees the surly village churls,

And the red cloaks of market girls

Pass onward from Shalott.

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,

An abbot on an ambling pad,

Sometimes a curly shepherd lad,

Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad,

Goes by to tower'd Camelot:

And sometimes thro' the mirror blue

The knights come riding two and two:

She hath no loyal knight and true,

The Lady of Shalott.

But in her web she still delights

To weave the mirror's magic sights,

For often thro' the silent nights

A funeral, with plumes and lights

And music, came from Camelot:

Or when the moon was overhead

Came two young lovers lately wed;

I am half sick of shadows,' said

  The Lady of Shalott. 

How do you react to the bittersweet language of Part II?