5 comments ›

1. 

   Steve Schwartzman

   11/04/2021 • 8:15 AM

   I was surprised to find out some years ago when checking the origin of “The earth laughs in flowers” that it’s a truncated version of the original, and that the truncation very much alters the sense of the original:

   “Earth laughs in flowers, to see her boastful boys
   Earth-proud, proud of the earth which is not theirs;
   Who steer the plough, but cannot steer their feet
   Clear of the grave.”

   The full poem, “Hamatreya,” is at
   https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52341/hamatreya

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2. 

   Eliza Waters

   11/04/2021 • 3:20 PM

   Thank you, Jean, and the same to you!

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3. 

   Jean Reiland

   11/04/2021 • 4:35 PM

   That was a phrase my Mother shared with us as children!

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4. 

   Steve Schwartzman

   11/04/2021 • 4:48 PM

   Was it the shortened version, or did she know the full context?

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5. 

   Jean Reiland

   11/04/2021 • 7:24 PM

   I don’t know. I was young .

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