The Gregorian calendar has poems matching each month with its birthstone. These are traditionally the stones in English-speaking societies. It is not known whether these verses below are of the originally Gregorian calendar or not. In fact Tiffany & Co. published these poems "of unknown author" for the first time in a pamphlet in 1870.
Three of the verses are repeats,
By her who in January was born
No gem save garnets shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.
The February born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If they, the amethyst will wear.
By her who in March was born
No gem save
Bloodstone shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.
She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear,lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow.
Who first beholds the light of day
In spring's sweet, flower month of
May
And wears an Emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and a loving wife.
By her who in June was born
No gem save Pearls shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.
The gleaming Ruby should adorn,
All those who in July are born,
For thus they'll be exempt and free,
From lover's doubts and anxiety.
Wear a Peridot or for thee,
No conjugal fidelity,
The August born without this stone,
`Tis said, must live unloved; alone.
A maiden born when autumn leaves
Are rustling in September's breeze,
A Sapphire on her brow should bind;
To bring her joy and peace of mind.
October's child is born for woe,
And life's vicissitudes must know,
But lay an opal on her breast,
And hope will lull those woes to rest.
Who first comes to this world below
In dreary
November's fog and snow,
Should prize the topaz amber hue,
Emblem of friends and lovers true.
If cold
December gave you birth
The month of snow and ice and mirth
Place on your hand a turquoise blue;
Success will bless whate'er you do.
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I'm guessing that's more Tiffany Co. than Gregorian anything. Seems like a poem designed to sell birthstones. Who knows.
ReplyDeleteAccurate i suppose, as any other kind of Astrology.
I'm a Peridot.
Sounds like i need to get a Peridot ring.
Never saw this before, that's really neat. I like my November! By the way, I'm thinking that sometime today, I'd like to do another guest post on your blog, if that's A-Ok with you. It will be titled School Days and I hope will be interesting and informative. As to my family ring, it rests in my jewelry box, unworn, because the only finger it would fit on is either of my little fingers. And since I am NOT a ring person in the first place, I haven't bothered to have it sized to fit on another finger. I dispise hands filled with rings, actually..tacky tacky. And they clatter on my keyboard! The ring you see in the picture is one my brother Bob gave me in remembrance of Allison, his wife who died of cancer years ago. It consists of ten rubies in a tiered setting, with a diamond in the middle, and is quite unusual and eye-catching. My wedding ring is tucked in underneath it, and I can't get either one of them off.The rubies are real, not man-made; Bob bought it in Burma, I believe. The family ring you spoke of, has all my children's birthstones all in a row, Dad bought it for me after David was born. So the birthstone poem is very appropriate on this post, Jeff. Good job!
ReplyDeleteMay has to be the nicest one. I have always loved having a spring birthday "date". I do not particularly like having birthdays anymore as they keep making me OLDER. DEBBI
ReplyDeleteWell, I like my month's poem, and I've always liked sapphires, so it suits me.
ReplyDeleteI think everyones month suits them well...but i could have had a fancier stone. I love the sapphires and the emeralds.
ReplyDelete