One of the great classics that everyone should attempt reading once. For Walking Dead fans, had there been no Dante, there could never have been a KirOne of the great classics that everyone should attempt reading once. For Walking Dead fans, had there been no Dante, there could never have been a Kirkman. There is incredible violence and suffering (it is Hell after all), but the relationship between Virgil and Dante is a beautiful one that evolves as their descend lower and lower. I read both the John Ciardi translation in verse (rhyming for the first and third lines in each stanza trying to keep to Dante's 11-syllable structure) and John M Sinclair's prose translation (which also includes the original on the left pages). Both are highly commendable and have great notes and footnotes.
"Midway in our life's journey, I went astray from the straight road, and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood."
Here Dante shows that the book is autobiographical ("I went astray") and at the same time universal ("our life's journey"). It also moves between dreaming and reality ("I went astray...and work") which characterizes his depictions of hell, purgatory, and paradise that follow. The forboding of the "dark wood" is a perfect introduction to the description of hell that awaits us. Even the fact that he strayed from the "straight road" seems to presage the curvy, circular path he will take through hell's many circles. This is one of my favorite openings and chills me a bit whenever I reread it.
If I were to see this book at a painting, the first one that comes to mind is Guernica by Picasso where the suffering is so painfully evident - albeit in black and white perhaps echoing the black text on the white page. The implicit condemnation of the perpetrators and the overall feeling of suffering in Inferno as in Guernica is overwhelming. I suppose I could also choose from one of Otto Dix's paintings or Bosch's but the very first that I thought of was Picasso.
It is also well-worth looking at Botticelli’s drawings of Inferno that he did for a book. All of Renaissance Italy was in awe of Dante and as they prepared a new edition of his book, Sandro was asked to illustrate it....more
These are quite beautiful poems, but what perhaps you didn't know or didn't remember, is that they actually tell a story of two loves both lost by theThese are quite beautiful poems, but what perhaps you didn't know or didn't remember, is that they actually tell a story of two loves both lost by the protagonist "Will", that of a young man and that of a "dark lady". Despite lots of research, no one has yet convincingly determined whether this was autobiographical (although most critics insist that it must be) and no one has convincingly found who, if it was autobiographical, Shakespeare was talking about. Sexually speaking, it is very ambiguous in describing the love of "Will" for his best friend to whom he loses the lady with "dun" (dark) colored skin and spikey black hair. The poems describe with exquisite (and complex!) poetry the evolution of the three-way relationship and the feeling of loss and emptiness that fills "Will" at its conclusion. Definitely some of the extraordinary poetry if somewhat difficult to understand with all the inversions of subjects and objects and so forth, but so worth a read!
Shakespeare poetry was enormously popular during his lifetime. This piece and Venus and Adonis were written by a confined Shakespeare during a period Shakespeare poetry was enormously popular during his lifetime. This piece and Venus and Adonis were written by a confined Shakespeare during a period of flare-up of the bubonic plague when all the theaters were forced to close. Some pieces of the poetry were reemployed elsewhere. The poem itself has not aged all that well and is less pleasurable a read than Venus and Adonis and far less so that his plays.
As always, the poems of Shel Silverstein are wonderful word play and the illustrations are a pure delight.
The first one is just simply beautiful:
"YeaAs always, the poems of Shel Silverstein are wonderful word play and the illustrations are a pure delight.
The first one is just simply beautiful:
"Years from Now" Although I cannot see your face As you flip through these poems awhile, Somewhere from some far-off place I hear you laughing - and I smile.
As always, a wonderful book of beautiful, funny and endearing poems from Shel Silverstein. My favorites:
Diving Board
You've been up on that diving boarAs always, a wonderful book of beautiful, funny and endearing poems from Shel Silverstein. My favorites:
Diving Board
You've been up on that diving board Making sure that it's nice and straight. You've made sure that it's not too slick. You've made sure that it can stand the weight. You've made sure that the spring is tight. You've made sure that the cloth won't slip. You've made sure that it bounces right. And now that your toes can get a grip - And you've been up there since half past five Doin everything...but DIVE.
And the title poem:
Falling Up
I tripped on my shoelace And I fell up - Up to the rooftops, Up over the town, Up past the tree tops, Up over the mountains, Up where the colors Blend into the sounds. But it got me so dizzy When I looked around, I got sick to my stomach And I threw down.
I am not sure if anyone writes children's poetry quite like Silverstein but it is one of my favorites for sure!...more
There are hardly any words adequate for describing the poetry of Neruda. This along with 20 songs of desperation is my favourite and is absolutely beaThere are hardly any words adequate for describing the poetry of Neruda. This along with 20 songs of desperation is my favourite and is absolutely beautiful. Whether it is about Macchu Pichu or soldiers or about love, his mastery of language and the music of words is mesmerising.
The petals of the ocean contend with a planet's pulsation. The underseas granaries tremble. A gloss on the sea-lettuce poises its menace, a swimming and swarming of schools; the mesh of the net-cord, ascending, draws up only a fish scale's extinction of lightning one wounded gradation of distance in the crystal's accomplished perfection
This collection was carefully and wonderfully translated by Ben Belitt and includes the original Spanish on the left pages for comparison. ...more
We know relatively little about Sappho from the island of Lesbos in Greece. Her poetry is not explicitly homosexual despite her name being intimately We know relatively little about Sappho from the island of Lesbos in Greece. Her poetry is not explicitly homosexual despite her name being intimately associated with female homosexuality. That being said there is a delicious sensuality to her writing that transcends time and still can speak to use today. It is full of desire and love and beauty. What I like is how it brings alive the life in ancient Greece. Take for example the fabled Grecian urn which of course Keats wrote about in 1819. Here is Sappho:
We put the urn aboard ship with this inscription:
This is the dust of little Timas who unmarried was led into Persephone's dark bedroom
And she being far from home, girls her age took new-edged blades to cut, in mourning for her, these curls of their soft hair
How utterly evocative and melancholic and still unspeakably beautiful. Give Sappho a read and you will not regret it....more
One of the most controversial poets in the French canon, Rimbaud was a violent romantic who wrote some of the most powerful poetry in the belle langueOne of the most controversial poets in the French canon, Rimbaud was a violent romantic who wrote some of the most powerful poetry in the belle langue ever written. This collection brings together some of his best work. Another brilliant talent that burned out (and in an awful way) way too young....more
I read both of these in high school, what feels like millennia ago. I remember enjoying them a lot - the blank verse, the vivid description of Satan aI read both of these in high school, what feels like millennia ago. I remember enjoying them a lot - the blank verse, the vivid description of Satan and Pandemonium, his palace in Hell (which is portrayed with dismaying terror in a painting by John Martin preserved at Musée du Louvre). Milton's blank verse does tend to keep the story vivid and alive. Admittedly, having re-read Dante's Divine Comedy, I owe myself to reread this classic sometime in 2017. OK, I never got around to re-reading this in 2017 (or 2018 or 2019), but its the thought that counts, right?...more
This is a beautiful anthology of 20th C Greek poetry that is a pleasure to read. I'd particularly recommend it if you are cruising around the CycladesThis is a beautiful anthology of 20th C Greek poetry that is a pleasure to read. I'd particularly recommend it if you are cruising around the Cyclades with a Nescafé or Ouzo. Or anytime you wish to close your eyes and smell the Mediterranean and olives and imagine raki on your tongue....more
This is quite a metaphysical journey for our favourite seagull, Jonathan Livingston. For the reader, it is an interesting flight through 20th century This is quite a metaphysical journey for our favourite seagull, Jonathan Livingston. For the reader, it is an interesting flight through 20th century mores and ideologies and will leave your mind soaring for hours after words. The photographs accompanying the text are also nice. I remember being impressed with this book as a kid and need to go back and read it again....more
I read these poems in high school and had a really, really hard time with them. I honestly have never gone back to them but perhaps I should. I guess I read these poems in high school and had a really, really hard time with them. I honestly have never gone back to them but perhaps I should. I guess if I read Milton's Paradise Lost/Gained, I will also reread Donne who was roughly his contemporary. I do recall him being highly quotable though:
No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.... Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in Mankind; and therefore never send to know for...
Perhaps that is something we need to take to heart now in these times of division and public displays of hate and intolerance. We are all human and we need to accept all humans as they are and not as we wish them to be....more
La Fontaine's fables are all in verse and are massively popular in France. They have wonderful little morals. The interesting side-note is that many oLa Fontaine's fables are all in verse and are massively popular in France. They have wonderful little morals. The interesting side-note is that many of these children's fables are hidden criticisms of the court of Louis XIV where La Fontaine was a lackey among the thousands of others at Versailles. That might give you more of a chuckle as you read them knowing that La Fontaine is hiding some very real irony inside of them for his peers....more
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