THE QUARREL BY ELEANOR FARJEON

THE QUARREL BY ELEANOR FARJEON 

It is common for brothers and sisters to quarrel, although sometimes they may not even be able to say why they quarrel. But how long do such quarrels last? How do they end? 

I quarrelled with my brother 

I don’t know what about, 

One thing led to another 

And somehow we fell out. 

The start of it was slight, 

The end of it was strong, 

He said he was right, 

I knew he was wrong! 

We hated one another. 

The afternoon turned black. 

Then suddenly my brother 

Thumped me on the back, 

And said, “Oh, come along! 

We can’t go on all night — 

I was in the wrong.” 

So he was in the right.

WORDS BY SYLVIA PLATH

WORDS BY SYLVIA PLATH 

Axes 

After whose stroke the wood rings, 

And the echoes! 

Echoes traveling 

Off from the center like horses. 

The sap 

Wells like tears, like the 

Water striving 

To re-establish its mirror 

Over the rock 

That drops and turns, 

A white skull, 

Eaten by weedy greens. 

Years later I 

Encounter them on the road---- 

Words dry and riderless, 

The indefatigable hoof-taps. 

While 

From the bottom of the pool, fixed stars 

Govern a life.

ALL BUT BLIND BY WALTER DE LA MARE

ALL BUT BLIND BY WALTER DE LA MARE

All but blind

In his chambered hole

Gropes for worms

The four-clawed Mole.

All but blind

In the evening sky

The hooded Bat

Twirls softly by.

All but blind

In the burning day

The Barn Owl blunders

On her way.

And blind as are

These three to me,

So, blind to Someone

I must be.

A HOUSE, A HOME BY LORRAINE M. HALLI

A HOUSE, A HOME BY LORRAINE M. HALLI 

What is the difference between a house and a home? Discuss it with your partner. Then read the poem. 

What is a house? 

It’s brick and stone 

and wood that’s hard. 

Some window glass 

and perhaps a yard. 

It’s eaves and chimneys 

and tile floors 

and stucco and roof 

and lots of doors. 

What is a home? 

It’s loving and family 

and doing for others. 

It’s brothers and sisters 

and fathers and mothers. 

It’s unselfish acts 

and kindly sharing 

and showing your loved ones 

you’re always caring.