Comments on: A Trip to the Bale Mountains

By: Laken

Laken — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 12:58:00 +0000

XX The lesser griefs that may be said, That breathe a thousand tender vows, Are but as servants in a house Where lies the master newly dead; Who speak their feeling as it is, And weep the fulness from the mind: ‘It will be hard,’ they say, ‘to find Another service such as this.’ My lighter moods are like to these, That out of words a comfort win; But there are other griefs within, And tears that at their fountain freeze; For by the hearth the children sit Cold in that atmosphere of Death, And scarce endure to draw the breath, Or like to noiseless phantoms flit; But open converse is there none, So much the vital spirits sink To see the vacant chair, and think, ‘How good! how kind! and he is gone.’ XXI I sing to him that rests below, And, since the grasses round me wave, I take the grasses of the grave, And make them pipes whereon to blow. The traveller hears me now and then, And sometimes harshly will he speak: ‘This fellow would make weakness weak, And melt the waxen hearts of men.’ Another answers, ‘Let him be, He loves to make parade of pain That with his piping he may gain The praise that comes to constancy.’ A third is wroth: ‘Is this an hour For private sorrow’s barren song, When more and more the people throng The chairs and thrones of civil power? ‘A time to sicken and to swoon, When Science reaches forth her arms To feel from world to world, and charms Her secret from the latest moon?’ Behold, ye speak an idle thing: Ye never knew the sacred dust: I do but sing because I must, And pipe but as the linnets sing: And one is glad; her note is gay, For now her little ones have ranged; And one is sad; her note is changed, Because her brood is stol’n away. XXII The path by which we twain did go, Which led by tracts that pleased us well, Thro’ four sweet years arose and fell, From flower to flower, from snow to snow: And we with singing cheer’d the way, And, crown’d with all the season lent, From April on to April went, And glad at heart from May to May: But where the path we walk’d began To slant the fifth autumnal slope, As we descended following Hope, There sat the Shadow fear’d of man; Who broke our fair companionship, And spread his mantle dark and cold, And wrapt thee formless in the fold, And dull’d the murmur on thy lip, And bore thee where I could not see Nor follow, tho’ I walk in haste, And think, that somewhere in the waste The Shadow sits and waits for me. XXIV And was the day of my delight As pure and perfect as I say? The very source and fount of Day Is dash’d with wandering isles of night. If all was good and fair we met, This earth had been the Paradise It never look’d to human eyes Since our first Sun arose and set. And is it that the haze of grief Makes former gladness loom so great? The lowness of the present state, That sets the past in this relief? Or that the past will always win A glory from its being far; And orb into the perfect star We saw not, when we moved therein? XXV I know that this was Life,—the track Whereon with equal feet we fared; And then, as now, the day prepared The daily burden for the back. But this it was that made me move As light as carrier-birds in air; I loved the weight I had to bear, Because it needed help of Love: Nor could I weary, heart or limb, When mighty Love would cleave in twain The lading of a single pain, And part it, giving half to him. XXVI Still onward winds the dreary way; I with it; for I long to prove No lapse of moons can canker Love, Whatever fickle tongues may say. And if that eye which watches guilt And goodness, and hath power to see Within the green the moulder’d tree, And towers fall’n as soon as built— Oh, if indeed that eye foresee Or see (in Him is no before) In more of life true life no more And Love the indifference to be, Then might I find, ere yet the morn Breaks hither over Indian seas, That Shadow waiting with the keys, To shroud me from my proper scorn. XXVII I envy not in any moods The captive void of noble rage, The linnet born within the cage, That never knew the summer woods: I envy not the beast that takes His license in the field of time, Unfetter’d by the sense of crime, To whom a conscience never wakes; Nor, what may count itself as blest, The heart that never plighted troth But stagnates in the weeds of sloth; Nor any want-begotten rest. I hold it true, whate’er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; ‘Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all.

By: Balance Bike

Balance Bike — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 01:22:29 +0000

I read a lot of interesting posts here. You spend a lot of time
writing, Thanks for sharing!
King regards,
Demir Dencker

By: Brittany Caumette

Brittany Caumette — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 14:38:14 +0000

Hi Tim, enjoy your upcoming trip – Bale is fascinating and beautiful! We only spent one night (two full days), mostly just because it was cold and we are major wusses, hah! But, if you are a nature and animal lover, you could easily spend a couple nights, allowing you ample time to appreciate the unique flora and fauna. You could do some trekking – up to the highest point, for example, for a sweeping view of the horizon. And be sure to drive all the way to the other end of the park, where the elevation goes back down and, once again, the flora and fauna change! ENJOY!

By: Tim Snieder

Tim Snieder — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 13:52:58 +0000

Great post! I’m looking into a trip this may, wondering how many days I should schedule. Mostly keen on mammal and bird observation but also erta ale…

By: Brittany

Brittany — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 20:03:43 +0000

Yvonne, it is so very wonderful to hear from you so many months after our lovely chance encounter in Ethiopia. I certainly understand the network issues! 🙂 Reading your kind words brings us both back to the wonders of Bale, from the landscape and the animals to the drastic differences in temperature, and of course, the encounters we made. Thank you again for your generosity!! We hope that things are going very, very well for you, your husband, and your lovely lodge!
Sending our best, and thanks for being in touch!

By: Yvonne Levene

Yvonne Levene — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:32:44 +0000

Hi Brittany and Bruno – I have just read your posting on the Bale Mountains and it was a great write up and very truthful too…. great photos. I was meaning to follow but we have been so busy at the Lodge with such an intermittent network that I have not had time, but am in UK for a few weeks and so catching up and will check out your other postings. It was interesting to have met you and you stand out in my memories with your beautifully decorated van and amazing life. Good travels, safe travels and I will be interested to see where life leads you. As they say in Ethiopia ‘Eyso – Eysosh’
Yours Yvonne from Bale Moutain Lodge

By: Brittany

Brittany — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:30:48 +0000

Thanks for continuing to read and respond to our blog! We are sure you will enjoy Ethiopia (despite its challenges!). We are now in Djibouti and will soon have a blog on this magically beautiful and varied country. You should consider visiting also – you can easily get a visa in Addis Ababa.
Best,
BB

By: Brittany

Brittany — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:29:32 +0000

Thanks Louise! I think you’d find Ethiopia fascinating! We’re about to head to the north to do part of the historical circuit. I’ll be sure to do my research and reporting as well as possible for you! Keep you posted! 🙂

By: Louise- Jones-Takata

Louise- Jones-Takata — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 22:58:51 +0000

Brit & Bruno, your post & pics of your three days in the Bale Mountain National Park most interesting. The Ethiopian Wolf is exquisite and the Bale monkey is different looking . Your notes on Shashamene peaked my interest as I am a big Marley fan.
Keep up the good work guys and please be careful. Louise

By: Ans en Tom Schaap

Ans en Tom Schaap — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 13:44:38 +0000

Dear Brittanie and Bruno,
We love to read your blogs on your beautiful website.
Wow, you where so lucky by spotten the animale at Bale mountainpark.
And with the cold so NOT Afrika. We will absolutely bring extra sweaters now!
Last week we bought our visa for Ethiopië in Brussels. We hope to enter at the end of januari.
Already looking foreward to your next blog.
Keep safe and enjoying!

Lots of love, Ans and Tom