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Oh, to be in England

ROBERT BROWNING

Home Thoughts, from Abroad

O, TO be in England
Now that April 's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossom'd pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge—
That 's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

Comments

  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,220
    Happy St George's Day
  • T_C_E
    T_C_E Posts: 16,418
    Enjoy the day everyone. 
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,150
    Happy St. Georges Day all.
  • cfgs
    cfgs Posts: 11,476
    St George's Day and football at The Valley what could there be to dislike about a day like today?  Apart from the football obviously
  • charlton_hero
    charlton_hero Posts: 4,665
    Happy St George's Day
  • CharltonMadrid
    CharltonMadrid Posts: 5,091
    Happy St George´s Day from Spain! We had a special Fish and Chips lunch at our school yesterday to celebrate it :smile:
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 6,847
    Is this a thing? I listened to BBC Radio 4 this morning and not a mention.
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,484
    Happy St George's Day

    St George of Dobbo hat-trick
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,348
    Mentioned this morning that the true ENGLISH patron Saint should be St Edmund, who was English and fought against the Danes and is buried at Bury st Edmunds .. anyway we are stuck with George from who knows where, so a good day to all patriotic and fair minded Englishmen everywhere
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  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,348
    Is this a thing? I listened to BBC Radio 4 this morning and not a mention.
    far too nationalistic for Auntie to contemplate
  • Valleysarr
    Valleysarr Posts: 1,097
    Happy St George’s ! 
    Charlton in red at the Valley, sun shinning what’s a great day ! 
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    St George was allegedly born in Cappadocia which might be called Turkey today.
    It was Richard 1st who called on the notion of St George to help his troops during a crusade. The St George’s flag was granted use by Genoa (who owned the ‘design’) to the English provided England paid Genoa an annual tribute which continued until around the mid eighteenth century.
    St George is the Patron Saint of Moscow amongst other places, it could be that St George never existed and might be an idealised person much like Lei Feng of China.
    There is a very good chance that the Dragon didn’t exist🤔.
    It is believed that George became a Christian martyr during the reign of Roman Emperor Diocletian because he was executed for refusing to take an oath to their ‘pagan’ Gods.
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,484
    🙄
  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 69,842
    George Dobson to slay the Shrewsbury dragon today
  • Lordflashheart
    Lordflashheart Posts: 5,619
    Happy St George’s Day all

    I’m on a boat on the Thames with loads of other Addicks 

    Jam tribute band - beer 

    Get in !!!
  • MrWalker
    MrWalker Posts: 4,106
    Marmalade? 
  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 69,842
    Happy St George’s Day all

    I’m on a boat on the Thames with loads of other Addicks 

    Jam tribute band - beer 

    Get in !!!
    Another signing from Maldon & Tiptree?
  • stop_shouting
    stop_shouting Posts: 3,679
    Proud to be English. Happy St. George’s day.
  • Lordflashheart
    Lordflashheart Posts: 5,619

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  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 33,624
    Is this a thing? I listened to BBC Radio 4 this morning and not a mention.
    Of course it wouldn't.

    But for St Patrick's Day.....boy oh boy do we know about it 
  • Hartleypete
    Hartleypete Posts: 4,699

  • Leuth
    Leuth Posts: 23,314
    Arriving at Gatwick just as the second half kicks off. I reckon anyone who returns to England on St George's Day should be given free cream tea on arrival 
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,350
    edited April 2022
    Happy St Georges Day.

    Step up Charlton!