" For God himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." Acts 17:25

About Me

About Me

About Me

Welcome...I'm delighted that you chose to visit! I started this blog in March 2010 and I am so happy that I did. It has made me more aware of the many ways that God is blessing my life. I have made some special friends who bless,teach,encourage,and entertain me! My desire is to be an encouragement to you. I hope you will tarry for a while and that you will come back to visit often.

Friday, July 22, 2011

a hymn of the marshes

Sidney Lanier, a well-known poet and musician, was born in Macon, Georgia in 1842. In 1878, he began to write a set of lyrical nature poems known as "Hymns of the Marshes". They described the beautiful and vast salt water marshes in Glynn County, Georgia. Glynn County includes Jekyll Island and the city of Brunswick. In the median of Hwy 17 in Brunswick, there is a huge oak tree with a marker commemorating the spot where Lanier sat and wrote one of his "hymns", "The Marshes Of Glynn".


To give you a taste of his work, here is one stanza:


"As the marsh-hen secretly builds on the watery sod,

Behold I will build me a nest on the greatness of God:

I will fly in the greatness of God as the marsh-hen flies

In the freedom that fills all the space 'twixt the marsh and the skies:

By so many roots as the marsh-grass sends in the sod

I will heartily lay me a-hold on the greatness of God:

Oh, like to the greatness of God is the greatness within

The range of the marshes, the liberal marshes of Glynn."

Sidney Lanier, 1878

I became an admirer of Sidney Lanier in high school, years before I met my husband, who grew up in Brunswick. Interesting that the poet and I would cross paths in the classroom and in life!

3 comments :

  1. You know I have devotional book and it has a lot of things that Sidney Lanier wrote but I never knew that. That is cool.

    Yes we did go out and we had a nice time and yes, we did have Mexican food at our favorite place with our favorite waitress. (she was a wild lady who got saved and now is just amazing as she has got her life together.)
    You know though, my favorite date is watching Swamp people. :) I think this season is almost over though.

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  2. Just found the time to look through all your vacation photos - what a wonderful time! Reminds me of so many great family trips when my children were little and my parents were with us! I so hope to recreate those type of vacations for our sweet little ones:)

    We usually "beach" at Hilton Head Island and have never been to Jekyll Island - but I think I want to give it a try:) Looks great!

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  3. I had no idea Sidney Lanier was a poet! that's beautiful.

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