Noble House Blog

The Spider and the Fly
by Mary Howitt

Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly,
‘Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I’ve a many curious things to show when you are there.”
Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne’er come down again.”

“I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the Spider to the Fly.
“There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I’ll snugly tuck you in!”
Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “for I’ve often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!”

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, ” Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I ‘ve always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that’s nice;
I’m sure you’re very welcome — will you please to take a slice?”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “kind Sir, that cannot be,
I’ve heard what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!”

“Sweet creature!” said the Spider, “you’re witty and you’re wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I’ve a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”
“I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you ‘re pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I’ll call another day.”

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
“Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple — there’s a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!”

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue –
Thinking only of her crested head — poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour — but she ne’er came out again!

And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne’er give heed:
Unto an evil counselor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly

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Mary Howitt. Photograph. https:/…/html/1807/4350/howittm.gif. Web.

Last week Noble House boarded the ferry at Battery Park and embarked on our Ellis Island adventure.  Thank you to all of the wonderful parents that joined us.  You helped make this trip a resounding success!

In addition, the students of Noble House recently began sharing their annotations of Charlotte’s Web with each other.  Presentations continue this week and at the end, each student will possess their own annotated copy of E. B. White’s beloved story.

How Poetry Comes to Me
Gary Snyder

It comes blundering over the
Boulders at night, it stays
Frightened outside the
Range of my campfire
I go to meet it at the
Edge of the light

Gary Snyder. Photograph. english.illinois.edu/…/snyder/snyder.htm. Web.

The students of Noble House have been busily preparing for their Oral History interviews. First, they read author blurbs about E. B. White and were later paired together in order to practice the interview process as well as get to know another class member. Their interesting interviews are on display in the window of the classroom. Next, we brainstormed a list of interview questions and organized them into an outline of four categories: I. Old Country, II. Journey, III. Arrival and IV. New Country. At the same time, students were thinking about a possible immigrant of their acquaintance to interview. After that, the class viewed a short film about the entire process of the Oral History Project, created by our own Mr. Andre and Ms. Gordon. Ms. Noble and Mr. Andre modeled how to ask follow up questions in case answers are brief. We all had a good laugh when Mr. Andre refused to give more than one word answers. Finally, students were given various forms to have their interviewee fill out and a clear plastic folder in which to put it all. They are all ready to become historians themselves!

In conjunction with the Oral History project, Noble House has been learning how to do a “close reading” of Charlotte’s Web. Ms. Noble and Ms. Stokien modeled annotating chapter 1. We found themes such as life and death, change and friendship. Who knew that so much information is just below the surface of page one alone! Afterwards, students selected their own chapters to annotate and will be presenting their findings to the class during the next two weeks.

Settling
by Denise Levertov

I was welcomed here—clear gold
of late summer, of opening autumn,
the dawn eagle sunning himself on the highest tree,
the mountain revealing herself unclouded, her snow
tinted apricot as she looked west,
Tolerant, in her steadfastness, of the restless sun
forever rising and setting.
Now I am given
a taste of the grey foretold by all and sundry,
a grey both heavy and chill. I’ve boasted I would not care,
I’m London-born. And I won’t. I’ll dig in,
into my days, having come here to live, not to visit.
Grey is the price
of neighboring with eagles, of knowing
a mountain’s vast presence, seen or unseen.

Denise Levertov. Photograph. www.earthportal.org. Web.

And the days are not full enough

And the days are not full enough
And the nights are not full enough
And life slips by like a field mouse
Not shaking the grass

–Ezra Pound

Ezra Pound. Photograph. lit.kobe-u.ac.jp. Web.

Dream Variations
by Langston Hughes

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me–
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance!  Whirl!  Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening . . .
A tall, slim tree . . .
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

(Note: The blog has altered the formatting slightly.  The last 2 lines of the first stanza and last line of the second stanza should be indented.)

Langston Hughes. Photograph. asms.k12.ar.us. Web.

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Welcome to The Noble House Blog!  I am looking forward to meeting all of you!  Each week I will post “the poem of the week” and you have the option of memorizing it.  How many poems do you think you can memorize this year?  I challenge you to memorize all of them!

maggie and milly and molly and may
by E. E. Cummings

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea

E. e. cummings. Photograph. Artsjournal.com. Web.

Blessing the Boats
Lucille Clifton

(at St. Mary’s)

may the tide
that is entering even now
the lip of our understanding
carry you out
beyond the face of fear
may you kiss
the wind then turn from it
certain that it will
love your back     may you
open your eyes to water
water waving forever
and may you in your innocence sail

through this to that