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Poems with Messages
Heaven
An old man and his dog were walking down a dirt road with fences on either side. They came to a gate in the fence and peered over at a very pleasant, grassy and wooded area - just what the man and his dog would love. However, there was a sign on the gate saying "No Trespassers" so they walked on.
Soon they came to a beautiful gate with a person in white robes standing next to it. "Welcome to Heaven" he said. The old man was very happy and started to enter with his dog following him. The Gatekeeper stopped him. "Dogs aren't allowed. I'm sorry but he cannot come in with you."
"What kind of Heaven won't allow dogs? If he can't come in, then I will stay out with him. He has been my faithful companion all his life and I cannot desert him now."
"Suit yourself, but I have to warn you. The Devil's on this road and he will try to sweet-talk you into his area. He'll promise you anything but your dog can't go in there either. If you won't leave your dog, you will spend Eternity on this road."
So the old man and his dog travelled on. They came to a run-down fence with a gap in it, no gate, just a hole. Another old man was inside. "Excuse me Sir, my dog and I are getting very tired. Do you mind if we come in and sit in the shade for a while?"
"Of course. There's some cool water under that tree over there. Make yourselves comfortable."
"Are you sure my dog can come in? The man down the road said dogs were not allowed in anywhere."
"Would you come in if you had to leave your dog outside?"
"No Sir. That's why I didn't go to Heaven. He said the dog couldn't come in. We will be spending Eternity on this road and a glass of cold water and some shade would be very good for the moment but, I won't come in if my friend here can't come too, and that's final."
The man smiled a big smile and said "Welcome to Heaven."
"You mean this is Heaven? Dogs ARE allowed? Why did that man down the road said they weren't?"
"That was the Devil and he gets all the people who are willing to give up their lifelong companion for a comfortable place to stay. They soon find out their mistake, but by then it's too late. The dogs come here, the fickle people stay there. God wouldn't allow dogs to be banned from Heaven. After all, He created them to be man's companions in life so why would he separate them in death?"
Author Unknown
On Another's Sorrow
Can I see another's woe,
And not be in sorrow too?
Can I see another's grief,
And not seek for kind relief?
Can I see a falling tear,
And not feel my sorrow's share?
Can a father see his child Weep,
Nor be with sorrow fill'd?
Can a mother sit and hear
An infant groan, an infant fear?
No, no! never can it be!
Never, never can it be!
And can He who smiles on all
Hear the wren with sorrows small,
Hear the small bird's grief & care,
Hear the woes that infants bear,
And not sit beside the nest,
Pouring pity in their breast;
And not sit the cradle near,
Weeping tear on infant's tear;
And not sit both night & day,
Wiping all our tears away?
O! no never can it be!
Never, never can it be!
He doth give his joy to all;
He becomes an infant small;
He becomes a man of woe;
He doth feel the sorrow too.
Think not thou canst sigh a sigh
And thy Maker is not by;
Think not thou canst weep a tear
And thy Maker is not near.
O! he gives to us his joy
That our grief he may destroy;
Till our grief is fled & gone
He doth sit by us and moan.
William Blake 1757-1827
A Poison Tree
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I water'd it in fears,
Night & Morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,
And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree
William Blake1757-1827
Auguries of Innocence
To see a
world in a grain of sand
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
A Robin Red breast in a cage
Puts all Heaven in a rage.
A dove house fill'd with doves & pigeons
Shudders hell thro' all its regions.
A dog starv'd at his master's gate
predicts the ruin of the State.
A Horse misus'd upon the road
Calls to Heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare
A fibre from the brain does tear.
A Skylark wounded in the wing,
A Cherubim does cease to sing.
The game cock clip'd & armed for fight
Does the rising sun affright.
Every Wolf's & Lion's howl
Raises from hell a human soul.
The wild deer, wand'ring here & there,
Keeps the human soul from care.
The lamb misus'd breeds public strife
And yet forgives the butcher's knife.
The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won't believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever's fright.
He who shall hurt the little wren
Shall never be belov'd by men.
He who the ox to wrath has mov'd
Shall never be by woman lov'd.
The wanton boy that kills the fly
Shall feel the spider's enmity.
He who torments the chafer's sprite
Weaves a bower in endless night.
The Caterpillar on the leaf
Repeats to thee thy mother's grief.
Kill not the moth nor butterfly,
For the Last Judgment draweth night
William Blake1757-1827
The Prayer
Death is
nothing at all,
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way which we always used.
Put no difference into your tone;
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without an effort, without trace of a shadow in it.
Life means all that it ever meant;
It is the same as it ever was;
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
What is this death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval.
Somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well.
Author Unknown
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If you would like a pet portrait painting of your pet and your pet dog or cat, or indeed any animal, has sadly died so it is too late to take any clear photos I will willingly look at your photo and let you know if it is clear enough. I love my pet portrait work, but one of the saddest aspects is where an old pet has died and the owner has no clear photo to remember their friend by, or, indeed, to create a pet portrait memorial to their lost one. So take those photos now, even if you do not yet decide on a pet portrait painting of your pet.
The happiest aspect of my work is when my clients have received their pet portrait paintings and telephoned or written to let me know how delighted they are in spite of the tears over their lost friend. I have so many lovely letters telling me how the portrait painting of their pet is now taking pride of place in their home, and how they feel their pet's spirit is still with them whenever they gaze at the painting. So do not hesitate. Order your pet portrait painting today. You will be so glad you did.
Pet dogs, cats, animals or any child or adult can be painted into the scene or pet portrait, even if they were not in that particular photo. Many things are possible. If you have a special request, just ask. If it is possible it can be done.
If you are thinking of buying a present for a family member or a friend, a pet portrait of their pet dog or cat, or any pet animal, is a wonderful present for a pet lover. If their pet has died, a pet painting of their lost dog or cat makes a wonderful memorial and tribute to the deceased pet.
Remember, if you want a really unusual and special gift for a pet or animal lover for Christmas, Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Easter, Anniversaries, Retirements, Presentations or any other celebration, a pet portrait painting of a beloved pet is always a unique and very welcome gift. Whether it is a dog portrait, cat painting, horse painting, wild animal painting, bird painting, child or adult human portrait or a painting of someone's home and garden, it will bring delight and surprise to the recipient.
So, if you have no CLEAR photos, get clicking and send your favourite photo to me for that dog painting, cat painting, animal painting, or landscape painting. You will be delighted with the result.
We should all value our historical houses be they palaces, farmhouses or cottages, they are our links to our past, but sadly, many are being allowed to deteriorate beyond any repair. It would be a poorer world with no physical reminders of our ancestor’s presence. Whenever, I get the opportunity I am out painting and capturing little corners of this England onto canvas or watercolour paper.
I also believe that there should have much tougher laws against the pollution of our rivers and fields, and stricter laws to protect pressured wild animals and green spaces. Imagine a world with only one creature, the human being. What a dreadful place that would be. We must all do our best to alleviate some of the harm man has done to this world and its animal inhabitants. One way is to enforce planning controls for new human dwellings, office blocks and factories that are sympathetic to the natural environment.
The welfare of this Earth's wild creatures is something I feel very passionately about. We have done so much harm to these fellow residents of our planet, who, of course, have as much right to exist as humanity. Wild animals, including the smallest insect have no less right to live out their natural lifespan as ourselves. I still see wild Robins, Geese, Mallards, Moor Hens, Jackdaws, Buzzards, Kestrels, and many other birds, assorted Dragonflies including the large Emperor Dragonflies, assorted butterflies, Wasp Beetles, Flower Beetles, Field Voles, mice, insects, birds, newts, frogs, toads, hares, deers, foxes and many other wild animals but for how much longer if we go on building over their habitats?
We should not attempt to turn all their wild habitats into pretty parks for just our enjoyment. Nature is wild and beautiful in its wildness. Wild animals need to be wild and free and people can find enjoyment in this too.
We cannot turn this, still beautiful, Earth into a controlled, barren environment for the convenience of just one of this world's creatures, ourselves. We can help these animals in many ways, such as not mowing every piece of wild meadow near our towns. No voles, hawks or butterflies can exist on a lawn. These animals need the shelter of tall grasses to hide in and to feed from. Where there are no hiding places, there are no wild creatures. Where the grass is mown no wild flowers can flourish. However, with a little goodwill on our part it is amazing how quickly Mother Nature heals her wounds.
I remember my childhood wandering the countryside and lanes of Devon; with so much wildlife, so many birds and wild creatures and leafy field margins and sunken lanes. Too many creatures are being squeezed out of existence by our constant encroaching onto their home territories. This cannot go on or England will land up as just an offshore concrete car park of the EU.
In the evenings we saw owls gliding silently over the darkening fields. One time, while I was walking my pet dog, I passed under an old tree and looked up. Sitting silently on a branch overhanging the path I was on, was a Barn Owl. He never made a sound, just moved his head around to watch me as I went on my way. It is a long time since I saw a wild owl. The last one I saw was a Little Owl sitting on his usual perch in an old tree. The tree is no more. It was destroyed when the land was built on. Do builders or their bosses EVER consider the wild creatures whose homes they are destroying?!!
In 2011, Hares too, seem much more elusive than even six years before. We used to regularly watch these large rabbit-like creatures loping over the fields nearby. I know the habitat of these Hares was built over but I do not know where any of the creatures were dispersed to. It is so wrong. This planet is NOT just ours and I would not want to live in a land where no places were left untouched for wild creatures to flourish in.
Hedgehogs are another little creature, which was commonplace up until about ten years ago. Practically every child in town or countryside had seen a hedgehog. Not now. In the winter 2010-2011, I fed a young hedgehog for many weeks in my garden, trying to feed him up so he could hibernate in safety. This was the first live hedgehog I had seen for about five years. He eventually stopped coming for his evening meal of cat food and drink of water. I hope he went into hibernation.
The fields nearby were full of hedgehogs at dusk. You could see the lovely little animals dotted about all over the fields but no more. I hope there are still some left besides the one who came to my garden. I am hopeful though. As I said, I had not seen a hedgehog in my garden for about five years. Here's hoping this is the start of many more sightings of them as their numbers build up again.
Birds, which I never saw about five years ago in my area, were Buzzards. Now there are so many of them hardly a day goes by without seeing at least two. Now I often see them wheeling, gliding and stooping in the fields nearby. This must mean that there are enough small animals such as field voles, to sustain them.
There are quite a few Herons in my home area. You see them flying heavily across the skies, sometimes being mobbed by smaller birds. In fact, one Heron was spotted in my garden so I am beginning to think that my missing pet Goldfish Fred was taken from our garden pond by one of these birds.
Another creature, which is comparatively new to my area, is the Harlequin Ladybird. I first spotted one in 2008. The Harlequin Ladybirds (or Ladybugs) arrived in England from France, having spread there from Asia. They pose a real threat to all our native Ladybird species and, in fact, our Two Spotted Ladybird is in fast decline. Harlequins are bigger than our native species. Their colours are varied from red to orange and they tend to have larger spots of black on them and look brasher than our native Ladybird. Harlequins eat our native Ladybirds and other insects and there is a survey ongoing to see what their spread in the UK is so far. The Harlequin appears to spread at about 60 miles per year so there must be billions here now. Huge numbers of them have been found crammed into tiny spaces. When they feel threatened they emit an obnoxious chemical that smells rather like nail polish and marks any surface it touches, so it is not pleasant to find them inside your home.
Remember the warm days of summer as, during the cold days of winter, you gaze at your painting of your sunny garden and home.
Pet Prints, Dog Prints, Animal Prints, Cat Prints, Horse Prints, Wildlife and Landscape Prints from Pet Portraits or Landscape Paintings and A5 Glossy Greeting Cards from Pet Paintings by Isabel Clark may be found on www.VillageArt.co.uk website.
All images on this site are in tangible form and are fully copyrighted. None of them may not be reproduced or used in any form or any manner, or displayed on any website or any other forum without the express written consent of the owner, Isabel Clark BA (Hons) Fine Art.
