There Once Was Three Pilgrims

[gerardcarey]

There once was three pilgrims.
Going over the Pyrenees.
The first was on the Route Napoleon.
The second, lower down on the Valcarlos Route, walking thru the forest.
The third, lower down again, in a bus, off to start in Pamplona.

The first pilgrim looked down on the second pilgrim and said,
“I am an upper class pilgrim. I look down on him because he is lower class.”

The second pilgrim looked up at him and said,
“I look up to him because he is an upper class pilgrim.”
Then, looking down at the pilgrim in the bus he said,
“but I look down on him because he is a lower class pilgrim.
I am a middle class pilgrim.”

The third pilgrim, in the bus, hung his head out the window. He strained to look up at them as they looked down on him, then called out.
“I know my place. And I get a pain in the back of my neck.”

Regds
Gerard

Apologies to John, Ronnie & Ronnie

 

[bystander]

Gerard
Following your reference to Messrs Cleese, Barker and Corbett
And for those who didn't get the full reference to the poem I part quoted in your posting of the "embattled embattlements" of Torres de Rio, here is the full text of that Kipling poem; which is very relevant and apposite to many postings on this site (viz: starting points, carrying/or not your world on your back and various other judgemental/prejudiced views etc etc on the "correct" pilgrimage)

A PILGRIM'S WAY

I DO not look for holy saints to guide me on my way,
Or male and female devilkins to lead my feet astray.
If these are added, I rejoice—if not, I shall not mind,
So long as I have leave and choice to meet my fellow-kind.

For as we come and as we go (and deadly-soon go we!)

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

Thus I will honour pious men whose virtue shines so bright
(Though none are more amazed than I when I by chance do right),
And I will pity foolish men for woe their sins have bred
(Though ninety-nine percent of mine I brought on my own head).

And, Amorite or Eremite, or General Averagee,

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

And when they bore me overmuch, I will not shake mine ears,
Recalling many thousand such whom I have bored to tears.
And when they labour to impress, I will not doubt nor scoff;
Since I myself have done no less and—sometimes pulled it off.

Yea, as we are and we are not, and we pretend to be,

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

And when they work me random wrong, as oftentimes hath been,
I will not cherish hate too long (my hands are none too clean).
And when they do me random good I will not feign surprise.
No more than those whom I have cheered with wayside charities.

But, as we give and as we take—whate’er our takings be—

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

But when I meet with frantic folk who sinfully declare
There is no pardon for their sin, the same I will not spare
Till I have proved that Heaven and Hell which in our hearts we have
Show nothing irredeemable on either side the grave.

For as we live and as we die—if utter Death there be—

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

Deliver me from every pride—the Middle, High, and Low—
That bars me from a brother’s side, whatever pride he show.
And purge me from all heresies of thought and speech and pen
That bid me judge him otherwise than I am judged. Amen!
That I may sing of Crowd or King or road-borne company,
That I may labour in my day, vocation and degree,
To prove the same in deed and name, and hold unshakenly
(Where’er I go, whate’er I know, whoe’er my neighbour be)
This single faith in Life and Death and to Eternity:
“The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!”

Rudyard Kipling

In addition to the poem I add this from Matthew 7:1 + 2: ""Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged..."

 

[Madidi]

Lovely homage to the old 'Frost Report' sketch Gerard. Says it all.....

Take care, be safe,

Sean.

 

[gerardcarey]

The original sketch is delivered courtesy of the BBC, amongst others on their web page.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/collections/p00gs4vy#p00hhrwl
Time for a laugh.
Regds
Gerard

 

[gerardcarey]

Gerard
Following your reference to Messrs Cleese, Barker and Corbett
And for those who didn't get the full reference to the poem I part quoted in your posting of the "embattled embattlements" of Torres de Rio, here is the full text of that Kipling poem; which is very relevant and apposite to many postings on this site (viz: starting points, carrying/or not your world on your back and various other judgemental/prejudiced views etc etc on the "correct" pilgrimage)

A PILGRIM'S WAY

I DO not look for holy saints to guide me on my way,
Or male and female devilkins to lead my feet astray.
If these are added, I rejoice—if not, I shall not mind,
So long as I have leave and choice to meet my fellow-kind.

For as we come and as we go (and deadly-soon go we!)

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!
Thus I will honour pious men whose virtue shines so bright
(Though none are more amazed than I when I by chance do right),
And I will pity foolish men for woe their sins have bred
(Though ninety-nine per cent. of mine I brought on my own head).

And, Amorite or Eremite, or General Averagee,

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

And when they bore me overmuch, I will not shake mine ears,
Recalling many thousand such whom I have bored to tears.
And when they labour to impress, I will not doubt nor scoff;
Since I myself have done no less and—sometimes pulled it off.

Yea, as we are and we are not, and we pretend to be,

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

And when they work me random wrong, as oftentimes hath been,
I will not cherish hate too long (my hands are none too clean).
And when they do me random good I will not feign surprise.
No more than those whom I have cheered with wayside charities.

But, as we give and as we take—whate’er our takings be—

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

But when I meet with frantic folk who sinfully declare
There is no pardon for their sin, the same I will not spare
Till I have proved that Heaven and Hell which in our hearts we have
Show nothing irredeemable on either side the grave.

For as we live and as we die—if utter Death there be—

The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

Deliver me from every pride—the Middle, High, and Low—
That bars me from a brother’s side, whatever pride he show.
And purge me from all heresies of thought and speech and pen
That bid me judge him otherwise than I am judged. Amen!
That I may sing of Crowd or King or road-borne company,
That I may labour in my day, vocation and degree,
To prove the same in deed and name, and hold unshakenly
(Where’er I go, whate’er I know, whoe’er my neighbour be)
This single faith in Life and Death and to Eternity:
“The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!”

Rudyard Kipling

In addition to the poem I add this from Matthew 7:1 + 2: ""Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged..."

Seldom has a poem touched me like this.
It is a poem suitable as a prayer for an unbeliever like me.
Thanks to bystander

Regds
Gerard

 

[pilgrim b]

Seldom has a poem touched me like this.
It is a poem suitable as a prayer for an unbeliever like me.
Thanks to bystander

Regds
Gerard

Gerard pilgrim just be: the rest just follows mate !!!!! humour, smiles , love , companionship,laughter, sharing, even some tinis are permissible, Simples; just be you mate.

 

[Al the optimist]

"I know my place" - one of my favourite responses, often more than a little justified but especially on the Camino!

 

[bystander]

Gerard,
Every time I read this poem (and I have read it many times since I rediscovered it) it has struck a deeper and deeper chord - much more so than his "If".

It is the most extraordinarily profound poem on tolerance and co-existence.

 

[gerardcarey]

Gerard,
Every time I read this poem (and I have read it many times since I rediscovered it) it has struck a deeper and deeper chord - much more so than his "If". It is the most extraordinarily profound poem on tolerance and co-existence.

I think it so important that you should consider posting it in its own thread bystander, rather than it being hidden away here amongst my waffle.
Regds
Gerard

 

[bystander]

Gerard, have now done so.

 

[bystander]

Gerard, we're all waiting for the next instalment!
Keep writing, Gerard, keep writing.....

When I Have Fears

When I have fears that I may cease to be
Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charactery,
Hold like rich garners the full ripen'd grain;
When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace
Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love;--then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

John Keats

tempus fugit, Gerard, tempus fugit.......

 

[gerardcarey]

tempus fugit, Gerard, tempus fugit.......[/quote]

Tell me about it.

Regds
Gerard

 

[unadara]

Thanks everyone, keep up the stellar writing , quoting and tale telling.