8 comments

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  Tom Watson

  2 years ago

  Lovely post - my personal favorite read-aloud is a Child's Garden of Verses by RL Stevenson -
  
  Whenever the moon and the stars are set,
  Whenever the wind is high,
  All night long in the dark and wet,
  A man goes riding by.
  Late in the night when the fires are out,
  Why does he gallop and gallop about?
  
  Whenever the trees are crying aloud,
  And ships are tossed at sea,
  By, on the highway, low and loud,
  By at the gallop goes he.
  By at the gallop he goes, and then
  By he comes back at the gallop again.
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  roxtar

  2 years ago

  When I was a kid, back in the '60s, I went to a summer camp in Ohio. Our swimming instructor, Hugh Murray, was a grizzled ol' cuss of at least 30 years....maybe more! And once per camp session, illuminated by a crackling campfire, he would solemnly recite "The Cremation of Sam McGee."
  
  70 or so rambunctious boys sat and stared with rapt attention as Mr. Hugh spun the tale of the fellow sitting in the furnace. (One of those boys, by the way, was Future Congressman Bob Ney (R - Leavenworth)
  
  Thanks for the memories, Claire!
  
  Thanks for the memories
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  Campaspe

  2 years ago

  Oh my goodness, what memories you have brought back. My father loved Service too and read "Sam McGee" to us many times. Also "The Shooting of Dan McGrew":
  
  These are the simple facts of the case, and I guess I ought to know.
  They say that the stranger was crazed with "hooch," and I'm not denying it's so.
  I'm not so wise as the lawyer guys, but strictly between us two--
  The woman that kissed him and--pinched his poke--was the lady known as Lou.
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  Campaspe

  2 years ago

  Furthermore, Jan. 17 is my birthday, too, and I never knew I shared it with Service. Dad would have been tickled to pieces.
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  Claire

  2 years ago

  Actually, his birthday is the 16th. I got the post up on my blog before midnight, but closely missed it here! Sorry for the confusion.
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  Sharon Thomas

  2 years ago

  I was introduced to Service by Jean Shepherd, who often read his poems on the radio. If you don't know his recording, it's highly recommended:
  
  Smithsonian Folkways F-9754
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  Traveller_Adventure

  1 week ago

  What I can say is very nice and helpful as well as informative post...really help me very much more!! Thanks..
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  reply
• 

  yellowstone vacation

  1 day ago

  Memories are one of the treasures no one can ever stole from you, I had lots of treasured memories especially the ones during camping with my family
  reply