Sometimes words delight in eluding me.
Right now my brain is so full of choreography that I fear it will EXPLODE. Our recital is coming up soon--too soon!--and I have . . . nine pieces. I think that's more than I've ever had before. School is also wrapping up. In other words, I'm quite busy. And the sad truth is, I've done very little writing recently. I feel low on writerly inspiration, blog-related and otherwise. *glares at Daunting Proportions* But I have been reading, in those spare snatches of time. (And in snatches of time I don't have to spare. Heh.) So I thought I'd share some things I've been reading--poems, to be specific. While I can't write poetry to save my life, I do love a good poem. "Batter My Heart" by John Donne My very dear friend shared this one with me a few months ago, and I keep coming back to read it. It reminds me of Romans 7--that constant battle of the Spirit and the flesh--and it hits hard. The closing lines are just breathtaking (and ridiculously satisfying, because I have a Thing for paradoxes). "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson This one is so utterly tranquil--it's almost soothing. It is tinged with melancholy, but the poet is ultimately at peace with life, with death, with his Creator. It's such a beautiful reminder that death has lost its sting through Christ's victory. "If--" by Rudyard Kipling I highly recommend you go listen to Verses in Vox's rendition. "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron I love the imagery here. It gives me chills. Similes and such are hard to pull off (at least for me), but Byron does it so skillfully. "The Hound of Heaven" by Francis Thompson I saved the best for last! This one just crept into my heart and grabbed me. I memorized almost half of it just by reading it over and over. I'm not even exactly sure why it moves me so. But . . . it's so vivid . . . and . . . it's possibly one of my most favorite poems of all time. And I couldn't even tell you why. Help. How are words treating you these days? Have you read any of these poems? Do you have a favorite poet?
16 Comments
Poetry! Oh, do I love me some good poems. All of these are simply marvellous! John Donne, Tennyson, Byron—actually I had to memorise “Sennacharib” last year for a history class, so it’s funny you bring it up now! “The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold…” oh, blast, I can’t remember what comes next. Oh well!
Reply
Ruth March
4/30/2024 08:05:35 pm
Hi, Astrya! I'm so glad you enjoyed this. I'm quite in awe of the talent of poets (yourself included ;)). Oh, it's frustrating when you take time to memorize something, and then it fades from memory! Such is life, I guess.
Reply
So I did read “The Hound of Heaven” a couple days ago, and found it quite lovely. Actually, that’s too mild a word. I completely share in your voracious love of it. It’s just so… I don’t know, it eats at your heart and you begin to feel as though you were really THERE, struggling along with the character in the poem.
Ruth March
5/7/2024 12:46:56 pm
Astrya, this brought such a smile to my face! I'm so glad. It certainly eats at one's heart; that's a great way of putting it. 5/1/2024 04:03:09 pm
Ooh, what a lovely post! I feel that I am at least familiar with many of these (and memorized the Destruction of Sennacherib once!), and I know I've read The Hound of Heaven in full, but a long time ago. I should definitely read it again! I admit that poetry isn't usually on my radar...I should read more of it. Marianne Dashwood would be ashamed of me :P
Reply
Ruth March
5/3/2024 07:59:02 am
Thanks, Lizzie! (Sennacherib seems a popular one for memorization!) I hope you enjoy it if you do! I'm not the most regular poetry reader, either ... There just seemed to be an influx of remarkable ones, begging to be shared :)
Reply
5/4/2024 05:58:34 pm
I am sure I will...I remember it being rather marvelous! I hope the influx has helped to rekindle your own writerly inspiration ;)
Ruth March
5/4/2024 07:56:13 pm
"Rather marvelous" is a good way to put it . . . Goodness, I love that poem so. 5/6/2024 02:02:46 pm
That's perfectly understandable! By all means, do prevent yourself from going crazy. We certainly don't want THAT. :P
Emily
5/2/2024 10:27:40 pm
I must admit, Eugene drew me in here, (Was this said by Tom, or Bernard??) and then the poems kept me….
Reply
Ruth March
5/3/2024 08:16:19 am
Heehee, I knew you would appreciate the quote :D (It was Bernard. And sometimes I can quite sympathize with his fumbling state.)
Reply
EmilyNotStarr
5/7/2024 01:03:19 pm
Aha, of course…. Should’ve recognized it😆 5/4/2024 06:03:40 pm
(Heh, I mind not in the slightest, Emi; maybe we can all work together at making Marianne proud of us :P)
Reply
Ruth March
5/4/2024 07:56:48 pm
(I like this plan ;))
EmilyNotStarr
5/7/2024 01:06:13 pm
Sounds like a plan to me (; What was it Mrs. Dashwood said when the girls left? She and her youngest daughter would spend the winter reading, and when Elinor and Marriane came back, the two of them would be so improved as to be hardly recognizable! Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorOld-fashioned, bookworm, tea-drinker, saved by grace Archives
May 2024
Categories
All
|