Re: For Iris Shakespeare fiends - I mmeaaaan fans!
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: For Iris Shakespeare fiends - I mmeaaaan fans!
- From: "* a* C* W* <c*@cache.net>
- Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 22:54:39 -0700 (MST)
Hi Amy!
You write (10 Feb 97):
> > In the Spring a fuller crimson comes upon the robin's breast;
>
> Our thug-sized orangey-breasted robins have arrived on their way to the
> more northern states.
>
> > In the Spring the wanton lapwing gets himself another crest;
>
> What is a lapwing?
>
> > In the Spring a livelier iris cbanges on the burnish'd dove;
>
> Is this "iris c*h*anges" and why isn't this our iris? iris colour?
> blue/purples?
>
> > In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.
>
> We need to move Valentine's day forward some then. The young men around
> here don't do anything lightly and unless "love" is a euphemism...
Naturally, the birds mentioned in the quotation are English birds, familiar
to Tennyson - we'll have to get Graham to give us the official word on
them. I do know that the English Robin, though somewhat related, is a much
smaller bird than ours. As for Tennyson's lovesick swains, they seem to be
a different breed than the ones you raise in Texas, too!
Jeff Walters in northern Utah (Zone 4)
cwalters@cache.net
