Saturday, September 6, 2008

A language of flowers


I like Christopher Smart a lot - even though he was considered mad:

For the flowers are great blessings. For the Lord made a Nosegay in the meadow with his disciples and preached upon the lily. For the flowers have great virtues for all senses. For the flower glorifies God and the root parries the adversary. For the flowers have their angels even the words of God's creation. For there is a language of flowers. For there is a sound reasoning upon all flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ.

-- Christopher Smart

2 comments:

  1. Hi Ellie,

    You know Rejoice in the Lamb by Britten, I assume. The words are Smart's and include some of these.

    Damian

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, of course, Damian!

    And my favorite Christopher Smart lines of all time (as will not surprise you) are:

    "For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
    For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him."

    One of these days I'm going to name a cat Geoffry! :-)

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