Tis strange my Theseus, that these
lovers speak of.
More strange than true.
I never may believe
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The Poet’s eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth,
from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
It comprehends some bringer of that joy;
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
But all the story of the night told over,
And all their minds transfigured so together,
More witnesseth than fancy’s images
And grows to something of great constancy;
But howsoever, strange and admirable.
Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.
Joy, gentle friends! Joy and fresh days of love
Accompany your hearts!
My aim on this site is to share the sense of wonder I get from gardening and being outdoors.
If you would like to join the joy, click on the ‘Follow’ button at the end of this post. You will receive an email each time I post a little pop of wonder.
Truly a magical experience to take a stroll through your post, beautiful words and the pictures are so stunning.
Happy Solstice, Ali!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream! This is my favorite Shakespeare comedy. Perfect.
What a beautiful series. Happy Summer Solstice! 🙂
Hi Ali, what a magical post. What is the second last photo? Curiousity ignited here 😊
It’s a clematis seed-head! Fab, isn’t it? Vita Sackville-West likened them to Yorkshire Terriers!
Hehe yes it is wonderful. And when I first saw it my first thought was hair so yorkie sounds appropriate to me too 😊
A magical way to celebrate the summer solstice.
Beautiful photos!
Ahhh what a lovely post for me to wake up to …. beautifully done, pure genius. X
Thank you Katie. x
A magical tribute to Shakespeare, your garden and the hour!
A beautiful post all in all.