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Favorite Poet?

Discussion in 'Travel Forum' started by mark, Nov 15, 2002.

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  1. mark

    mark <img src =/mark.gif>

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    Who is your favorite poet?
     
    #1 mark, Nov 15, 2002
  2. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    Lewis Carroll.

    Kind of like some of the discussions here.

    Others: Edgar Allan Poe, John Donne and William Blake.
     
    #2 rsr, Nov 15, 2002
  3. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Love the narative poetry of American Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

    Ever wonder why he had a big bushy white beard? As best I recall, his wife was putting some locks of hair from their daughter who had died into an envdelope. Sealing wax caught fire and wife engulfed in flames.

    He did his best to beat out the flames, but a few days later his wife died of the burns. He was so disfigured from the fire that he grew the beard to cover the scars. Before that he had to stay in the house because his face scared little children.

    So winter of 1864, Civil War raging, and he is in self-exile in his home.

    I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet, the words repeat of peace on earth, good will to men.

    I thought how as the Day had come, the belfries of all Christendom
    Had rolled along the unbroken song of peace on earth, good will to men.

    And in despair I bowed my head. "There is no peace on earth," I said,
    "For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men."

    Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth, good will to men."

    Add to that
    Paul Revere's Ride
    Evangeline
    Song of Hiawatha

    As a lover of history, these epic historical poems makes Longfellow a real "American Tennyson".
     
    #3 Dr. Bob, Nov 17, 2002
  4. NeilUnreal

    NeilUnreal New Member

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    I agree with rsr, Lewis Carroll was the greatest comic poet. I think the two greatest poems in English are "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelly.

    My favorite American poet is Carl Sandburg. My favorite long poetic work is "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri (though I wish I understood more of the Florentine political allusions).

    -Neil
     
    #4 NeilUnreal, Nov 22, 2002
  5. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    Willam Shakespeare
    Robert Frost
     
    #5 Helen, Nov 23, 2002
  6. NeilUnreal

    NeilUnreal New Member

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    Helen wrote: William Shakespeare

    Shakespeare is great, but it sounds so much better when read by a great actor, that I haven't read much of it. I just can't seem to "synthesize" the voices right in my head!

    Laurence Olivier's 1955 film version of "Richard III" is awesome -- including the dialog added by Olivier himself. Another favorite is the 1948 Orson Welles version of "Macbeth." Both of these are probably available from most public libraries that lend videos.

    -Neil
     
    #6 NeilUnreal, Nov 23, 2002
  7. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    Actually, I was thinking more of the sonnets, and I agree with you regarding the plays.
     
    #7 Helen, Nov 23, 2002
  8. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    John Milton

    On His Blindness

    When I consider how my light is spent
    Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
    And that one talent which is death to hide
    Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
    To serve therewith my Maker, and present
    My true account, lest He returning chide;
    "Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
    I fondly ask. But patience to prevent
    That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
    Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best
    Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
    Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,
    And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
    They also serve who only stand and wait."

    Then, I love the poem by the American poet, Edwin Markham

    He drew a circle that shut me out-
    Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
    But love and I had the wit to win;
    We drew a circle that took him in!

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #8 Jim1999, Nov 23, 2002
  9. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    A bit of Blake (America: A Prophecy)

     
    #9 rsr, Nov 23, 2002
  10. stubbornkelly

    stubbornkelly New Member

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    Dante's Commedia is brilliant, indeed. If you can, grab a good translation with footnotes and the political allusions will make much more sense (if you haven't already). I studied the Commedia for a semester in college, and it's fascinating, the content and the structure . . . really a masterpiece.
     
    #10 stubbornkelly, Nov 26, 2002
  11. NeilUnreal

    NeilUnreal New Member

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    Thanks stubbornkelly,

    I have an Oxford edition with footnotes; I'll take it on Christmas vaction with me. My parents (whom I'm visiting) have an ancient dusty, set of encyclopedias which are short on pictures but have great historical and biographical entries, so I'll have a reference.

    -Neil
     
    #11 NeilUnreal, Nov 26, 2002
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