Category Archives: Poetry
An Incredible Paragraph from Stanton Delaplane (Updated post)
This is San Francisco Chronicle reporter Stanton Delaplane (internal link) interviewing a rancher in 1941 about the poor roads in Siskiyou County, California. Delaplane quotes the farmer enough as needed for a newspaper article and then rephrases the farmer’s thoughts … Continue reading
Posted in art, editing writing, non-fiction writing, organizing writing, Poetry
Tagged Stanton Delaplane, writing
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Cynara by Ernest Christopher Dowson (Updated post)
Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion. by Ernest Dowson (1867 – 1900) Richard Burton’s voice in this reading continues to haunt me. It’s been about nine months since … Continue reading
The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe – The Simpson’s Version
A classic and deservedly so. Ravens are quite common out here in the Mojave Desert, crows more likely haunting cities and farmland. I couldn’t find a Richard Burton reading so I settled for James Earl Jones with the Simpsons. Good … Continue reading
Posted in Poetry, revising writing, Uncategorized
Tagged poe, Poetry, the raven, the Simpsons
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From Jubilate Agno by Christopher Smart (1722 – 1771)
From Jubilate Agno by Christopher Smart (1722 – 1771) All cats deserve an awesome poem, here, Smart writes what is certainly the most awesomeness ever penned for a cat.The brilliant John Frederick Nims relates, “After Cambridge, Smart supported himself in London … Continue reading
Posted in non-fiction writing, Poetry, Thoughts on writing, Uncategorized, video, Writing by others
Tagged cats, Christopher smart, insanity, john Frederick nims, nims, Poetry, poets, smart
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Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower by William Wordsworth
Blake envisions a future for his dead and darling Lucy as a muse for Nature itself. We all hope a loved one passes into a better world, that their death had some meaning, a purpose. But how many of us … Continue reading
Posted in art, Poetry, Thoughts on writing, Uncategorized
Tagged Poetry, the romantics, William Wordsworth, wordsworth
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True Ease in Writing Comes From Art, Not Chance
This very short block of lines comes from Pope’s much longer Essay on Criticism (external link). He wrote this at 23, without the aid of a university education. The references are obscure to everyone except English Lit majors, perhaps, but … Continue reading
Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord by Gerad Manley Hopkins
EDITOR’S NOTE: REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR! The Reverend Hopkins has appeared at this site before, here (internal link) and here (internal link). The quotation is from Jeremiah 12:1. The King James version reads, “Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead … Continue reading
Wallace Stevens (Revised)
Wallace Stevens (1879-1955) These are quotes and verses from another dead white guy with a classical Western education. I doubt he is studied anymore and that makes this a poorer world. Can you equal any of these lines? Especially this … Continue reading
Posted in editing writing, Poetry
Tagged beauty, Kenneth Rexroth, Poetry, truth, wallace stevens
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To A Poet a Thousand Years Hence by James Elroy Flecker
Another poet grasping for immortality and advising other poets on same. Just like Shakespeare did centuries before with “Not Marble Nor the Gilded Monuments” (internal link) Well, this poem has lasted a hundred years. My writing won’t. Flecker wins! Maeonides, … Continue reading
Posted in art, Poetry, Uncategorized, Writing by others
Tagged elroy flecker, Poems, poets
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The Most Famous Chinese Poem
Introduction I read that this is the most famous Chinese Poem. Four lines. That’s it. That’s economy. I don’t know Chinese so I must rely on translations. Do any of these translations appeal to you more than another? I like … Continue reading
Posted in fiction, Poetry, Uncategorized
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