Tuesday, July 19, 2016

The Wind by Robert Louis Stevenson and a Memory From the Writers' Museum - Edinburgh, Scotland

Today I'm reading one of my favorite poems from childhood.  It is from the book, A Child's Garden of Verses, by one of my very favorite poets, Robert Louis Stevenson.

I was once privileged to visit Edinburgh, Scotland.  I truly am blessed. 

My favorite place I visited in Edinburgh was the Writers' Museum. The Writers’ Museum celebrates the lives of three great Scottish writers – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and (BEST of all!) Robert Louis Stevenson.



Above is a photo of me with the lady (A very knowledgeable lady!) who worked in the downstairs Robert Louis Stevenson area of the Writers' Museum back in 2005. This lady had an identical twin sister who worked upstairs in the Robert Burns exhibit.  They were both volunteers at the museum.  This one was very friendly and talkative and helpful, her identical twin was the opposite, but they looked EXACTLY alike! 

Sadly, this lady and her twin have now passed away, but I will always remember them...especially the one pictured above.  She told me wonderful stories about Robert Louis Stevenson. 

She said in 1876 Robert Louis Stevenson met and fell in love with a married American woman named Fanny Vandegrift Osbourne.  Fanny later divorced and much to the horror of his family, Robert married Fanny, the divorcee, in 1880.

If you'd like to know more about Robert Louis Stevenson, click HERE

Now, the poem!  Enjoy!!



The Wind by Robert Louis Stevenson

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass--
                  O wind, a-blowing all day long,
                  O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did,
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all--
                 O wind, a-blowing all day long,
                 O wind, that sings so loud a song!

O you that are so strong and cold,
O blower, are you young or old?
Are you a beast of field and tree,
Or just a stronger child than me?
                O wind, a-blowing all day long,
                O wind, that sings so loud a song!

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