Thoughts on a Snowy Day

[L Verge]

As I sit looking out at about five inches of new snow on my lawn, I am reminded that a favorite poem of John Wilkes Booth was The Beautiful Snow. It dates from the 1850s, I believe, and Booth is known to have recited it at times during theatrical and literary readings that he would give while traveling.

Some sources say that the original poem was found on the body of a deceased "soiled dove," but it was authored by a John Whitaker Watson, who compared the beautiful, falling snow to the life of many -- beautiful at first and then turned to dirt when mixed with the filth of mankind.

Isn't it ironic that Booth favored this poem that almost predicted what would happen to him ten years later? If you are not familiar with the entire piece, you can find it here: https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.co...l_snow.htm

In many ways, that poem reminds me of one of my favorites - The Bells, by Edgar Allen Poe. There is the same type of easy rhythm as well as the verse-by-verse descent from light and airy thoughts into harsh and despairing tones. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/bells

[Eva Elisabeth]

I go with Mozart:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I9CJqi6bqbU

[RJNorton]

Laurie, your post reminded me of a gypsy who seems to have predicted John Wilkes Booth's fate. Asia Booth Clarke described an encounter young JWB had with a gypsy. According to Asia, JWB wrote down what the gypsy told him. He read it to her.

She writes:

"One day a gypsy living in the woods near Cockeysville read John’s palm. She said, “Ah, you’ve a bad hand; the lines all cris-cras! It’s full enough of sorrow. Full of trouble. Trouble in plenty, everywhere I look. You’ll break hearts, they’ll be nothing to you. You’ll die young, and leave many to mourn you, many to love you too, but you’ll be rich, generous, and free with your money. You’re born under an unlucky star. You’ve got in your hand a thundering crowd of enemies – not one friend – you’ll make a bad end, and have plenty to love you afterwards. You’ll have a fast life – short, but a grand one. Now, young sir, I’ve never seen a worse hand, and I wish I hadn’t seen it, but every word I’ve told is true by the signs. You’d best turn a missionary or a priest and try to escape it."

[L Verge]

The first time I read of that encounter, Roger, a little shiver went down my spine. I do believe it happened (even though I am not usually a believer in such prognostications). The mention of Cockeysville places the event in the rural area outside of Baltimore where young JWB attended the Milton Academy (which is now a high-priced restaurant known as The Milton Inn).

[Gene C]

This reminds me of a song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLTETaWswCY

From poetry to fortune telling
from Mozart to Cher
Aren't we a diverse group