"Cry 'God for Harry, England and Saint George!'" - Henry V
It's William Shakespeare's birthday.
(It's also St. George's Day, my English friend reminded me via email today.)O, how thy worth with manners may I sing,
When thou art all the better part of me?
What can mine own praise to mine own self bring?
And what is 't but mine own when I praise thee?
Even for this let us divided live,
And our dear love lose name of single one,
That by this separation I may give
That due to thee which thou deservest alone.
O absence, what a torment wouldst thou prove,
Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave
To entertain the time with thoughts of love,
Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive,
And that thou teachest how to make one twain,
By praising him here who doth hence remain!
-- Sonnet XXXIX
Thanks JayV and thanks for joining in.
ReplyDeleteBefore I started blogging, like most English people coming to terms with a colonial past, I was reluctant to celebrate St George, both day and flag. However, I now get to join in so many wonderful, cultural celebrations from all over the world, and this has give me permission to be English occasionally.
Personally, I love post-modernism and the way it allows me to choose my own culture from all over the place.