"Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful." — Rita Dove —

The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt

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 counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,

And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history." — Plato —

"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there." — Barbara Bush — 

“Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” — David Ogden Stiers --

“The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, lies in its loyalty to each other.” – Mario Puzo -

A Midnight Clear

 

Title: A Midnight Clear

Author: Katherine Paterson

Rating: ★★★★☆

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    Each Christmas Eve when John Paterson was a pastor, he read an original story to his congregation - a story that illuminated the true meaning of the holiday season, written by his wife, two-time Newbery Medalist Katherine Paterson. Now you, too, can share them. Whether depicting a child coping with disappointment, friendship between young and old, or a couple awaiting the birth of their baby, these stories present a vision of hope and peace harking back to that first Christmas over two thousand years ago. Here is the perfect holiday gift for friends, families, and church congregations - to read aloud and share throughout the Christmas season and beyond.

   

"At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving others with God's own love and concern." -- Mother Teresa --

The Tyger by William Blake

The Tyger

by William Blake

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, 

In the forests of the night; 

What immortal hand or eye, 

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies. 

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat.

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp.

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears 

And water'd heaven with their tears:

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

 "The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach --

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven." - George Bernard Shaw -

"A family is a risky venture, because the greater the love, the greater the loss... That's the trade-off. But I'll take it all." — Brad Pitt —

 “We may have our differences, but nothing’s more important than family.” – Coco - 

The Incredible Journey

 

Title: The Incredible Journey

Author: Sheila Burnford

Rating: ★★★★★

Ages: 8 - 18+

    Back Cover Synopsis:

    Home lay to the west, his instinct told him; but he could not leave the other two - so somehow he must take them with him, all the way.

    Three beloved pets - Luath, a young Labrador retriever; Tao, a Siamese cat; and Bodger, an old bull terrier - have been separated from their family. Luath makes the decision to head for home, setting out with his companions on an incredible journey through the wilderness of northwestern Ontario.

    They do not know the dangers they will face. They do not know that winter is approaching, or that home is four hundred kilometres away. They will be separated by a rushing river and attacked by wild animals. They will face injury, starvation, cold and sheer exhaustion. Individually, they would never survive. But together, can they find their way home?

“It didn’t matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” — Peter Buffett --

Sonnet 16 by William Shakespeare

Sonnet 16

by William Shakespeare

But wherefore do not you a mightier way

Make war upon this bloody tyrant, Time?

And fortify yourself in your decay

With means more blessed than my barren rhyme?

Now stand you on the top of happy hours,

And many maiden gardens yet unset

With virtuous wish would bear your living flowers,

Much liker than your painted counterfeit:

So should the lines of life that life repair,

Which this, Time's pencil, or my pupil pen,

Neither in inward worth nor outward fair,

Can make you live yourself in eyes of men.

To give away yourself keeps yourself still,

And you must live, drawn by your own sweet skill.

“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”― Ralph Waldo Emerson --

“'Classic' – a book which people praise and don’t read.” ― Mark Twain --

“Books have a unique way of stopping time in a particular moment and saying: Let’s not forget this.” ― Dave Eggers --

“We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read.” ― Jules Verne --

The Angel and the Ring

Title: The Angel and the Ring

Author: Sigmund Brouwer

Rating: ★★★★☆

Age Category: Young Adult

    Back Cover Synopsis:

    Can a thief guard a knight's treasure?

    It's A. D. 1364. A guardian angel is assigned to 16-year-old Brin, the young, fair-haired gypsy born to a dying mother. That was a very bad beginning, the old gypsy women whispered. On top of that, his long-gone father has married Brin's mother in a church. Gypsies didn't go to church. 

    An outcast among his gypsy clan, Brin is a slick pickpocket and a fast runner. But there's no dodging this trouble... a hooded stranger... robbers coming for the mysterious carved ring Brin's father left him... a fight in dark caves... and, worst of all, a beautiful girl he can't trust. 

    Through it all the guardian angel stands ready to protect or direct Brin as God commands. Yet even an angel can't predict human choices. And Brin's inheritance from his earthly father - and his heavenly one - hangs in the balance. 

    If you'd like to check out my opinion on this book, you can visit the links below on my blog Rhianna Reads, where I tell my fellow readers what I'm currently reading and what my thoughts are about the book. 

    https://rhiannareadsbooks.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-angel-and-ring-chapters-1-14.html

    https://rhiannareadsbooks.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-angel-and-ring-chapters-15-28.html

“Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new after all.” ― Abraham Lincoln --

Sonnet 9 by William Shakespeare

Sonnet 9

by William Shakespeare

Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye

That thou consumest thyself in single life?

Ah! if thou issueless shalt hap to die.

The world will wail thee, like a makeless wife;

The world will be thy widow and still weep

That thou no form of thee hast left behind,

When every private widow well may keep

By children's eyes her husband's shape in mind.

Look, what an unthrift in the world doth spend

Shifts but his place, for still the world enjoys it;

But beauty's waste hath in the world an end,

And kept unused, the user so destroys it.

No love toward others in that bosom sits

That on himself such murderous shame commits.

 “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy -

 “There is no failure except in no longer trying.” - Chris Bradford -

 “Even the strongest blizzards start with a single snowflake.” ― Sara Raasch, “Snow Like Ashes” --

“It's failure that gives you the proper perspective on success.” - Ellen DeGeneres -

Through Gates of Splendor

Title: Through Gates of Splendor

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Rating: ★★★★☆

Age Category: Adult Literature

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    Five men entered the jungle in search of a savage tribe ... and never returned. 

    In January 1956, a tragic story flooded headlines around the world. Five men, spurred by a passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ, ventured deep into the jungles of Ecuador. Their goal: to make contact with an isolated tribe whose previous response to the outside world had been to attack all strangers. 

    At an agreed-upon time, their five young wives sat by their radios, waiting for a message that never came...

    Through Gates of Splendor, the story of Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Jim Elliot, was first recorded in 1956 by Jim's window, Elisabeth. Decades later, its story of unconditional love and complete obedience to God still inspires new readers. This edition contains subsequent developments in the lives of the families and the Waodani tribe. 

 “Giving up is the only sure way to fail.” - Gena Showalter -

Sonnet 31 by William Shakespeare

Sonnet 31

by William Shakespeare

Thy bosom is endeared with all hearts,

Which I by lacking have supposed dead,

And there reigns love and all love's loving parts,

And all those friends which I thought buried.

How many a holy and obsequious tear

Hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye

As interest of the dead, which now appear

But things removed that hidden in thee lie!

Thou art the grave where buried love doth live,

Hung with the trophies of my lovers gone,

Who all their parts of me to thee did give;

That due of many now is thine alone:

Their images I loved I view in thee,

And thou, all they, hast all the all of me.

“Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.” - Coco Chanel -