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The Darkling Thrush

The Darkling Thrush

by | Oct 13, 2025 | Emerald Book Club, Poetic Flows Podcast, Poetry, Winter Poems

The Darkling Thrush

By Thomas Hardy

I leant upon a coppice gate

      When Frost was spectre-grey,

And Winter's dregs made desolate

      The weakening eye of day.

The tangled bine-stems scored the sky

      Like strings of broken lyres,

And all mankind that haunted nigh

      Had sought their household fires.

The land's sharp features seemed to be

      The Century's corpse outleant,

His crypt the cloudy canopy,

      The wind his death-lament.

The ancient pulse of germ and birth

      Was shrunken hard and dry,

And every spirit upon earth

      Seemed fervourless as I.

At once a voice arose among

      The bleak twigs overhead

In a full-hearted evensong

      Of joy illimited;

An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,

      In blast-beruffled plume,

Had chosen thus to fling his soul

      Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings

      Of such ecstatic sound

Was written on terrestrial things

      Afar or nigh around,

That I could think there trembled through

      His happy good-night air

Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew

      And I was unaware.

Emerald Book Club – World Mental Health Day 2025

Emerald Book Club – World Mental Health Day 2025

by | Oct 10, 2025 | Community Events, Emerald Book Club, Events

🌿 Emerald Book Club – World Mental Health Day 2025

Theme: Love Yourself, Accept Yourself
Date: 10 October 2025

At Emerald Book Club, we believe that books are more than stories — they’re safe spaces. They heal, comfort, inspire, and remind us that we are not alone in our journeys.

On this World Mental Health Day, we take a moment to celebrate the power of reading as a tool for emotional wellness and self-discovery.

💚 Books and Mental Health: A Beautiful Connection

Reading allows us to step into different worlds, understand new perspectives, and process our own emotions through the words of others. Whether it’s a poem that reflects how we feel, a novel that gives us escape, or a memoir that reminds us of resilience — reading nurtures the mind and soothes the soul.

Through shared stories, we find healing, empathy, and connection — the very foundations of mental wellness.

🌱 How Emerald Book Club Supports Wellbeing

📚 Safe Conversations: Our book discussions offer a judgment-free zone for members to share their thoughts and emotions.
💬 Poetic Mondays & Reading Circles: These creative spaces help members express themselves and feel heard.
🤝 Community Connection: Through reading, we build friendships and reduce isolation — one story at a time.
🌸 Mindful Reading Choices: We often explore uplifting, empowering, and reflective books that inspire self-acceptance and growth.

🌻 Our Message Today:

Take care of your mind as you would your favorite book — gently, with patience and love.
It’s okay to pause, reflect, and rest.
It’s okay to seek help and share your story.
Every chapter of your life matters — and you are the author of your healing. 💚

📖 Join the Movement

This week, we invite our members and readers everywhere to:

  • Share a book that helped them through a difficult time
  • Read something that brings peace and hope
  • Write a few words or a poem about self-love and mental wellbeing

Together, let’s remind each other that stories heal — and that through reading, we can learn to love ourselves and accept ourselves.

💚 Happy World Mental Health Day from Emerald Book Club 💚

Autumn by John Keats Poem

Autumn by John Keats Poem

by | Oct 6, 2025 | Emerald Book Club, Life Poems, Nature Poems, Poetic Flows Podcast, Poetry

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

   Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

   With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

   And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

      To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

   With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

      For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

   Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

   Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,

   Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

      Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

   Steady thy laden head across a brook;

   Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,

      Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?

   Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—

While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,

   And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn

   Among the river sallows, borne aloft

      Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;

And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;

   Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft

   The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;

      And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
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Be Thankful

Be Thankful

by | Oct 2, 2025 | Emerald Book Club, Gratitude Poems, Life Poems, Poetry

Be Thankful
 
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
 
Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
 
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
 
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
 
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
 
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
 
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
because it means you’ve made a difference.
 
It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
 
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

by Author Unknown

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

by | Sep 8, 2025 | Emerald Book Club, Poetic Flows Podcast, Poetry

"Invictus" is a short poem by English poet William Ernest Henley. Henley wrote it in 1875, and in 1888 he published it in his first volume of poems, Book of Verses, in the section titled "Life and Death".

INVICTUS 👏🙏

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul

Sports Fest Returns to Coventry this Summer with Six Days of Free Fun!

Sports Fest Returns to Coventry this Summer with Six Days of Free Fun!

by | Jul 30, 2025 | Coventry, Emerald Book Club, Events

🎉 Sports Fest Returns to Coventry this Summer with Six Days of Free Fun!

Coventry’s much-loved Sports Fest is making a dynamic return this summer, transforming Broadgate into a buzzing hub of sports, wellness, and community spirit from Tuesday 12 August to Sunday 17 August 2025, daily from 10am to 4pm — and it’s completely free!

Coventry City emerald Book Club

Delivered by CV Life and Coventry City Council, this six-day festival promises something for everyone — from kids discovering new hobbies, to adults rekindling old sporting passions, and families simply enjoying the energy of the summer holidays in the city centre.

the Sports Fest line-up is packed with activities suitable for all ages and abilities. Enthusiasts can also try their hand at cheerleading, table tennis, goalball, and so much more.

In addition to the action-packed schedule, the festival will include a Quiet Hour every day from 10am – 11am, specially designed to create a calmer, low-sensory environment for those who benefit from a quieter setting — making the event inclusive and accessible to all.

Local and national sports organisations and clubs will be out in force, offering not just demos and coaching sessions but also real opportunities to get involved long-term. Whether you’re looking to join a local team, learn a new sport, or simply get more active — this is the perfect time to give it a go.

Wendy Jackson, Community Engagement Manager at CV Life, shared her excitement:

“CV Life is really excited to be a part of Sports Fest again this year. As always, the event is going to be great and I hope we get to see lots of happy faces and families enjoy what will be on offer. Local clubs, groups and organisations will provide a whole host of activities to engage with all ages and abilities. We hope to see as many people enjoy the week of free activities and get as many people as possible active outdoors this summer holiday.”

Coventry Sports Fest

Local and national sports organisations and clubs will be out in force, offering not just demos and coaching sessions but also real opportunities to get involved long-term. Whether you’re looking to join a local team, learn a new sport, or simply get more active — this is the perfect time to give it a go.

📍 Event Info:
Dates: 12th – 17th August 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Daily Quiet Hour: 10:00 – 11:00 AM)
Location: Broadgate, Coventry (Lady Godiva Statue)
Cost: Absolutely FREE

Previous editions of Sports Fest have drawn thousands, with the 2022 event alone attracting over 15,000 visitors across six days — making it one of the most successful community events in the region.

So, whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just looking for a day of summer fun, Sports Fest 2025 promises a week of healthy activity, community vibes, and the perfect way to stay active during the school holidays.

Don’t miss the action — save the date and bring your trainers, your friends, and your energy!

👉 Keep an eye on the full activity schedule coming soon via: www.cvlife.co.uk

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