[HPforGrownups] Re: Mandrakes and The hand of glory

[MadameSSnape at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 96163

In a message dated 4/16/2004 5:46:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jdr0918 at hotmail.com writes:
The Sergeant Majorette says

"Go and catch a falling star
Get with child a mandrake root
Tell me where all past years are
Or who cleft the devil's foot..."

Our Mr. Bannister can probably tell us who wrote this poem. I can 
only remember the discomfort of the nun who had brought this 
distinguished guest lecturer to our English class as he explained the 
metaphor to forty Catholic schoolgirls, after singing it to us in a 
deep, lush baritone voice.

========================

Sherrie here:

It's from John Donne's "Song":
169. Song
 
John Donne (1573–1631)
 
 
GO and catch a falling star,
  Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past hours are,
  Or who cleft the Devil’s foot;
Teach me to hear mermaids singing,        5
Or to keep off envy’s stinging,
        Or find
        What wind
Serves to advance an honest mind.
 
If thou be’st born to strange sights,        10
  Things invisible go see,
Ride ten thousand days and nights,
  Till age snow white hairs on thee.
Thou at thy return wilt tell me
All strange wonders that befell thee,        15
        And swear,
        No where
Lives a woman true and fair.
 
If thou find’st one, let me know,
  Such a pilgrimage were sweet;        20
Yet do not, I would not go,
  Though at next door we should meet.
Though she were true when you met her,
And last till you write your letter,
        Yet she        25
        Will be
False, ere I come, to two or three.




Sherrie


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