Haven Series on Change 1 - Seasons and Cycles

Our new series for spring 2013 concerns Change 

The keynote poem for the series is "Apple Blossom" by Louis MacNeice.  It begins:

Apple Blossom

Louis MacNeice

The first blossom was the best blossom 
For the child who never had seen an orchard; 
For the youth whom whiskey had led astray 
The morning after was the first day. 

The first apple was the best apple 
For Adam before he heard the sentence; 
When the flaming sword endorsed the Fall 
The trees were his to plant for all.

If you don't know the poem it's well worth searching out.

Hilary was inspired to write this:  

The first blossom was the best blossom

For the child who never had seen an orchard.
Blue sky, high there, up above the pram
Branches waving in the blue, "Here I am."

Nature's own mobile, not from Mothercare.
Early Learning's not got a patch on these petals
See them there! Pink and white froth tossing
In the blue. Boats in the sea for him?

There was much discussion about change and how humans respond to it.  There are countless quotations about change; here is a tiny sample:

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.  ~Robert C. Gallagher

Change always comes bearing gifts.  ~Price Pritchett

You never have a friend all figured out. Just when you think you know what makes them tick, they tock. ~Robert Brault 

The devil could change.  He was once an angel and may be evolving still.  ~Laurence J. Peter

The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me.  The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.  ~George Bernard Shaw

Writing challenge for this week is a piece of Flash Fiction - around 500 words based on one of these quotations.

Next week - Personal change and Identity.