Several months ago I purchased a small book of poetry entitled “Now Might As Well Be Then” by Glenda Council Beall. The poems are lovely, well written and infused with much warmth – they touched my heart with their tenderness.
The back cover of my book says that Glenda Council Beall holds a degree in Education from the University of Georgia. Her essays, articles and poetry have been published in journals, newspapers and magazines. She is listed in the Poets and Writer’s Directory of American Poets and Writers. Glenda graciously authorized me to publish her poem, below, in my blog. You can read more on Glenda at her blog here (http://www.profilesandpedigrees.blogspot.com/.)
WOMAN IN THE MIRROR
Woman in the Mirror, Theo van Rysselburghe, Belgian 1862-1926
What happened to seventeen,
when I rode my mare
free as the river flows,
jumped over downed trees
splashed through narrow streams?
Marie in the Mirror, Peter Severing Kroyer, Norwegian-Danish, 1851-1909
What happened to twenty
when I danced in the moonlight,
my slender form dressed in a gown
white and shimmery as pearl?
Woman in the Mirror, Theo van Rysselburghe, Belgian 1862-1926
What happened to seventeen,
when I rode my mare
free as the river flows,
jumped over downed trees
splashed through narrow streams?
Marie in the Mirror, Peter Severing Kroyer, Norwegian-Danish, 1851-1909
What happened to twenty
when I danced in the moonlight,
my slender form dressed in a gown
white and shimmery as pearl?
La Toilette, L. C. Breslau, German-Swiss, 1856-1927
What happened to thirty
when I rode my Yamaha
down fire roads, mountain trails,
long black hair flying free?
when I rode my Yamaha
down fire roads, mountain trails,
long black hair flying free?
Woman at the Mirror, Leon de Smet, Belgian, 1881-1966
What happened to those days
I ask the woman in the mirror.
Gone, she says, all gone, unless
you remember it.
What happened to those days
I ask the woman in the mirror.
Gone, she says, all gone, unless
you remember it.
–Glenda Council Beall
Reflections, Richard Emile Miller, American 1828-1943
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Note: Top picture is from my collection of vintage postcard. It is signed Alice Fidler, 1911.
Blogger Break - Post pre-programmed –
Nice...
ReplyDeleteGreetings from France,
Pierre
I prefer the on from Breslau, la toilette
ReplyDeleteTrès joli post, Vagabonde, tant en ce qui concerne le poème que pour les illustrations. Moi aussi, de toutes ces femmes devant un miroir, ma préférence va à la peinture de Breslau, Elles toute en finesse.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is such a powerful and insightful post. I'll be thinking about his when I look into the mirror tonight.
ReplyDeletelol all gone I know all about it. (Just don't use mirrors anymore lol)
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure to find a book like that and what a gorgeous pictures you have there
I so enjoy your elegant and thoughtful posts, VB. This one is especially poignant, thinking of all the years gone by. The poem is wonderful; I'm off now to visit Glenda.
ReplyDeleteAll of those women are somewhere in me - it's just that sometimes life is too heavy or too much and it's only the tired one I see in the mirror,
ReplyDeleteI loved this, and rather than finding it wistful, it made me think and remember that I am all of those women.
Lovely, poem and pictures.
ReplyDeleteI try to avoid looking in mirrors now. It's too depressing.
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Vagabonde, and lovely illustrations as well. We came home yesterday and I can't wait to sit at my desk and write a few stories myself. A bientot! Veronique aka French Girl in Seattle
ReplyDeletesuch a lovely post!
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this poem and the illustrations!
I must admit, I'm not a great fan of poetry but this one has resonance and beautifully married with the paintings. What happened indeed, the great unfairness being that at 54, I still feel like I'm 28, gammy knee notwithstanding.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather remember them without looking in the mirror... Lovely pictures too.
ReplyDeleteCaroline
Glad you are back from your special happy intermezzo !
ReplyDeleteI am not being chauvinistic but one of my favorite artists of that period is Theo van Rysselberghe (true that his name is impossible to spell). I particularly like his "La Promenade" ,.. have a look at in on wikipedia .. it is gorgeous!
Beautiful images, Vagabonde, to go with such a lovely poem!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your sophisticated posts. And your choice of accompanying images.
ReplyDeleteCombined, the images and the poem are most thought-provoking and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLovely words and pictures! Glenda is a talented lady.
ReplyDeleteI think she would be delighted at the perfect marriage betwixt words and images.
ReplyDelete'Gone, she says, all gone, unless
you remember it.'
And especially if you write about it - as I have discovered - you live it again.
I enjoyed this post. Especially the poem about the Yamahaand black hair flying free. How I can relate...except I have blond hair.;)
ReplyDeleteThe images match the poets words so well. A lovely post, I enjoyed it so much.
ReplyDeleteThank you to all of you for coming to my blog while I was away. I appreciate it very much. I am behind but will come and visit your blogs as soon as I can.
ReplyDeleteMerci d’être venu sur mon blog pendant mon absence. Je l’apprécie beaucoup. Je suis en retard mais je viendrai voir vos blogs ausitôt que possible.
Thank you for using my poem in such a lovely way. Your choice of pictures enhance my words and thoughts so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you to those who left kind comments, and who relate to the woman in the mirror.
Glenda, what a lovely way to share your poem. Thanks for letting me know. Maren
ReplyDeleteHow fun. I know Glenda personally. She's a wonderful writer and poet.
ReplyDeleteSam
I know Glenda Council Beall and her poems. What an honor you have given her and also such a nice gift for all of us by sharing her poem with beautiful images. I absolutely love this post.
ReplyDeleteGlenda is a great writer-and this is one of my favorite poems. I love the paintings you used in the post-you picked the perfect ones!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a lovely blog. I like the illustrations very much of Glenda Beall's poem. She's the representative for our North Carolina Writers' Network-West and one of my favorite poets. Please feel free to visit my blog at: http://blueridgepoet.blogspot.com.
ReplyDeleteGlenda, so glad you sent this out again. Your poem and these paintings are perfect together. You give me a chance to remember the me of my youth.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tribute to a lovely poem. You managed to capture Glenda Beall's word in these paintings ages old.
ReplyDelete