Monday, August 27, 2012
Kissing Time
Every Monday, I try to offer an upbeat post that makes you smile and helps take the edge off of it being the beginning of the workweek for most of us. This week, I was at a loss for what to post, which is kind of unusual--I usually have plenty to draw from in my post "hopper." Coincidentally, though, on Saturday evening, I opened an email from Disqus and now I have the perfect offering.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, "Frank," who left this comment on my The Origins of My Blog's Title post (which I've reposted a few times at More About Mom page:
My father said that line often. He loved poetry and could quote many poems from memory. One that he quoted sometimes was Kissing Time:
Kissing Time, by Elaine Stevenson
She stood knee-deep in meadow flowers,
His grandchild of four years old,
With eyes of periwinkle blue
And hair like harvest gold
“Teach me, Grandpa, tell me
Just how to tell the time.”
And she handed him an angel flower,
A dandelion in prime
Gently the old man held the stalk,
And filling his wrinkled face,
He blew on the dainty once-gold flower
Now turned to fairy lace
“One o’clock tells you’re beautiful,
Two o’clock tells me you’re kind,
Three o’clock hopes you’ll be happy,
Four o’clock means a sharp mind.
“Five o’clock prays you’ll be healthy,
Six o’clock brings gifts you can’t buy
Like dewdrops and bird song and rainbows,
White clouds in a blue summer sky.
The child watched wide-eyed in wonder
As the gossamer seeds drifted past.
“But, Grandpa, what will the time be
When our fairies have flown off at last?”
“Why bless you, my child,” he answered
“The meaning is surely quite plain:
It will just be half past kissing time,
And time to kiss again!”
Frank, I appreciate this very, very much and wish I could thank your father, too. What a beautiful gift! Mom loved it, too, and I've printed a copy for her. Thank you, again.
Have a Happy Monday!
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That is very nice, btw, I tried to fix my comment thing but I don't know if I fixed it. Have a good week
ReplyDelete:)
This is really beautiful, it makes me almost teary. I always feel that you have the most beautiful blog name.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wanted to ask you born to what, and now I have the answer :) And I am to back to blogworld Mrs4444, at least I am feeling so :)
DeleteYea! Welcome back! :)
DeleteMy maternal grandmother Oma quoted the last two lines of this all the time. I never knew the source or that there was more to it. I thought she was just being cute and clever but loved it just the same. I frequently say the last two lines to my own boys. Thank you for sharing the full poem.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome; I'm very happy that you got to read it.
DeleteEvery time a student asks what time it is, I have to resist the urge to recite, "Half-Past kissin' time; time to kiss again!" :)
Love this....never heard it before! Happy Monday!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard this before and I absolutely adored it. Thank you for sharing it. I've already printed it and hung it up on my fridge!
ReplyDeleteAw, that's sweet; I'm so glad you loved it, too.
DeleteWow. Never knew the origin of this! Really neat way to start the week. ;). A keeper for sure! Txs.
ReplyDeleteI remember my mother saying those lines too. We also thought it was the funniest thing in the world.
ReplyDelete