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Poetry along the way

Billy Buell

Walking Willie
Time of past OR future Camino
Le Puy to sjpdp, next planned Norte.
While walking solo I often find myself voicing out a few lines of poetry or lyrics from a song. Examples may be "My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky" or "I wander lonely as a cloud....", "Black bird singing in the dark of night" and many others. I also recite verses from Psalms," Yea tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil". I think everyone gets the idea, but I find I have very few lyrics to draw on so I'm recommending to myself and others to refresh some lines they feel may comfort or pleasure them along the way. I'd appreciate some suggestions for various circumstances; when challenged by a hill; when first viewing your lodging town; being on a special bridge; overtaken by a panoramic landscape, etc.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
When you should be concerned about heat stroke:
Who is the third who walks always beside you?
When I count, there are only you and I together
But when I look ahead up the white road
There is always another one walking beside you
Gliding wrapt in a brown mantle, hooded
I do not know whether a man or a woman
—But who is that on the other side of you?
 
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These words are useful whenever/wherever courage and hope are necessary to overcome difficulties.

"...but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope."
Romans 5:3-4
 
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While walking solo I often find myself voicing out a few lines of poetry or lyrics from a song. Examples may be "My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky" or "I wander lonely as a cloud....", "Black bird singing in the dark of night" and many others. I also recite verses from Psalms," Yea tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil". I think everyone gets the idea, but I find I have very few lyrics to draw on so I'm recommending to myself and others to refresh some lines they feel may comfort or pleasure them along the way. I'd appreciate some suggestions for various circumstances; when challenged by a hill; when first viewing your lodging town; being on a special bridge; overtaken by a panoramic landscape, etc.
I found myself singing the old John Bunyan hymn many times “ To Be a Pilgrim” There is a wonderful version on You Tube that gives all the lyrics. Not slow and draggy at all, sung by a young woman. I will look up the name and repost
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
While walking solo I often find myself voicing out a few lines of poetry or lyrics from a song. Examples may be "My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky" or "I wander lonely as a cloud....", "Black bird singing in the dark of night" and many others. I also recite verses from Psalms," Yea tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil". I think everyone gets the idea, but I find I have very few lyrics to draw on so I'm recommending to myself and others to refresh some lines they feel may comfort or pleasure them along the way. I'd appreciate some suggestions for various circumstances; when challenged by a hill; when first viewing your lodging town; being on a special bridge; overtaken by a panoramic landscape, etc.
Maddy Prior singing “ To be a Pilgrim” on You Tube
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I found myself singing the old John Bunyan hymn many times “ To Be a Pilgrim” There is a wonderful version on You Tube that gives all the lyrics. Not slow and draggy at all, sung by a young woman. I will look up the name and repost
I find myself singing songs in my head that have a steady beat, to encourage me up the hills.
 
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While walking solo I often find myself voicing out a few lines of poetry or lyrics from a song. Examples may be "My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky" or "I wander lonely as a cloud....", "Black bird singing in the dark of night" and many others. I also recite verses from Psalms," Yea tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil". I think everyone gets the idea, but I find I have very few lyrics to draw on so I'm recommending to myself and others to refresh some lines they feel may comfort or pleasure them along the way. I'd appreciate some suggestions for various circumstances; when challenged by a hill; when first viewing your lodging town; being on a special bridge; overtaken by a panoramic landscape, etc.
"I am but a dewdrop within a dewdrop." This insignificance of man/woman is but to help one obtain a proper perspective on and in life. It is from a Japanese temple monk. Anything beyond this is but a man/woman creating a fantasy world . . . supposedly, but what do I know?
 
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This has “morphed” very slightly, but is in essence something by one T Pratchett and summarised my feelings on my 3rd Camino, whilst foot-blistered (again) and walking in a rain storm to Roncesvalles 🙄. The final two lines in particular express a good Camino Sentiment, I always felt……

Why do we go away?
So that we can come back!
Why do we leave our homes and the familiar; those we know and love?
So that we meet new friends and see new landscapes and places.
Then we can see the place that we came from with new eyes and extra colours.
And the people we return to then see us differently too.
Coming back to where we started is not the same as never leaving.
 
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Perhaps these words
from Ulysses, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson are relevant for all of us who are older.

"...and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I found myself singing the old John Bunyan hymn many times “ To Be a Pilgrim” There is a wonderful version on You Tube that gives all the lyrics. Not slow and draggy at all, sung by a young woman. I will look up the name and repost
“ Oh, I would walk 500 miles……”
 
Me too❤️ It’s more like a feeling of ‘my cup runneth over ‘ with the joy of the day and being there. The song 🎵 just comes out as in praise sometimes. Sometimes it’s just the joy of ‘being’.
I am usually walking alone 😉

Buen camino.
That's exactly how I feel, well expressed.
 
Perhaps these words
from Ulysses, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson are relevant for all of us who are older.

"...and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
Great, my favorite choice from the offerings (while I like them all) Thank you.
 
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Great post ... Songs also: "On the Road Again", and that Pink Floyd that has " You say the hills too steep to climb .... Climb it", plus of course the Liverpool anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone".
I often sing "On the road again"
 

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