The Blue Danube Poem by William He

"Wachau": The Wachau is a UNESCO world heritage site and a region of great natural beauty, situated in the Danube River valley between the towns of Melk and Krems. Grape varieties Grüner Veltliner and Riesling predominate here on 1,344 hectares, partly planted in terraces arrayed on steeply inclined hillsides terraces. Top vineyard sites here produce some of the best white wines in the world, with decades of aging potential. 'Myosotis sylvatica': Commonly called Forget-Me-Not, is a hairy, tufted, spring-flowering plant. Small,5-lobed, blue flowers with yellow or white eyes bloom in dense cymes in spring Forget-Me-Not Seeds Myosotis sylvatica In medieval times, Forget Me Nots were worn by the ladies of the court as a symbol of their love and faithfulness to their Knights, traveling the countryside. "The River Maiden": The Danube Maiden. It is said that from those times at the bottom of the river lies a glass palace where the Prince of the Danube lives with his daughter, a majestic appearance in long shimmering white dress, black haired with shafts adorned with white water lilies. In those times her deepest desire was to meet the people living in the charming village on the shore of the river. Wieners swear that in the full moon nights if looking closer into the water you can see a gentle silhouette winding through the waves and listen to Danube playing an endless waltz. But the maiden has never been seen again since she found her matching one, the handsome son of an old fisherman, who couldn't find his soul peace after seeing her when she stepped out from the cold water to warn the people about the southerly wind to melt the thick ice of the Danube and the big flood to carry away the huts there. After the flooding he climbed in his boat and rowed with slow strokes in the middle of the river. The next morning the fishermen found the empty boat and close beside they saw a crown of water lilies drifting on the river. His father knew that his son would never return. 'The Giver': The Giver (2014) directed by Phillip Noyce, with an adaptation of the book by Michael Mitnick. In a seemingly perfect community, without war, pain, suffering, differences or choice, a young boy is chosen to learn from an elderly man about the true pain and pleasure of the 'real' world. 'Elysian Fields': According to Homer in his epic poems written around the 8th century BCE, Elysian Fields or Elysium refers to a beautiful meadow in the Underworld where the favored of Zeus enjoy perfect happiness. This was the ultimate paradise a hero could achieve: basically an ancient Greek Heaven.