Dear Reader,
Over the years I have put this poem on my blog and it seems that it has touched a chord with some of you. It was William Shakespeare who dared anyone to remove or disturb his bones as can be seen in the church in Stratford -upon- Avon where he is buried.
Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here
Blessed be the man that spares these stones
And cursed be he who moves my bones
Your burial ground should be sacred and it is disgraceful to dig it up and put any contents on show in a public place. You should be allowed to rest in peace. A curse on you who plunder the earth, and violate sacred places ......
*
From John Everett Millais October 16th 1851 in Surrey
'Worked on my picture; painted nasturtiums; saw a stoat run into a hole in the garden wall; went up to it and endevoured to lure the little beast out by mimicking a rat's or mouse's squeak...Succeeded, to my astonishment. He came half out of the hole and looked in my face, within easy reach.
From William Allingham October 17th 1863 in the New Forest, Hampshire
'Two woodpeckers, green as parroquets. The setting sun, the fiery ferns, the golden-russet beechen leaves.
*
A Curse on those who plunder the earth, and violate sacred places...... A curse on those who disturb and steal gently-bandaged skulls, legs, arms, and finger-bones, jewels: perhaps a pearl bracelet, a coral ring, hair pins, or a mosiac plate, set out lovingly with food for the long journey home. Who have lain there, at peace, for many thousand years, the sand, the desert winds, the rains, nature’s bed. A curse on those whose laughter and excitement fills the air, stealing these remains, transporting them to people in white coats, who dissect their dignity, stick labels on them, give them to museums to enlighten an ice-cream licking public. * With very best wishes, Patricia
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