Tag: Poetry
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Six Records of a Floating Life
Review: This was an excellent book and a great read. Like any Chinese literature, or classical literature generally, you need to take your time and try to absorb the meaning rather than just skimming along like you would with a contemporary novel. I absorbed a lot and this was time well spent. The translation was… Read more
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The Making of a Poem
Review: This was great and I learned a lot. Like, a lot. Villanelle, sestina, sonnet, elegy. Words I have heard but would have been hard pressed to define. Now I can! Informative without being condescending. I really like that. ESVM made it in, naturally. Three cheers for Edna! This book made me want to: write… Read more
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
Review: What a neat little volume! A book of verse. Published in 1962 at the request of his publisher (Allen & Unwin). The poems were almost all adapted from Tolkien’s much earlier poems published in university journals, most having nothing to do with Tom Bombadil or even the LOTR franchise. Thanks to an editorial conceit… Read more
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The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Review: Surrounded by a thick foliage of cedars, your house stands, pregnant with autumn. A wonderful, unique little volume. Part travel diary, part poetry, it describes the wanderings of a 17th century Japanese poet named Matsuo Basho. The main narrative is prose and breaks into haiku or linked verse when appropriate. Not a flaw there… Read more
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The Flowers of Evil / Les Fleurs de Mal
Review: Brilliant. A dark, disturbing masterpiece. I wish to hold sway overYour life and youth by fear,As others do by tenderness. Remember, time is a greedy playerWho wins without cheating, every round. Eggplant emoji. I will re-read these for the rest of my life, they’re simply beautiful. I award this the coveted 5 stars. This… Read more
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The Wasteland, Prufrock, and Other Poems
Review: Erudite to the point of superciliousness. Like a graffiti artist leaving tags to show their cleverness, the author dropping in an absurd amount of shout-outs to Donne, Spencer, Dante, even Shackleton. Prufrock was better: In the room the women come and goTalking of Michelangelo This book made me want to: drink bubble tea Overall… Read more
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WWI British Poets
Review: Excellent anthology. Just can’t get enough of the war poets. Overall rating: How I discovered or acquired this book: — Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: — Check out author’s other books? Recommend this book? To whom? — Ratings (1-10, 10 being exceptional): Read more
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Poetry of the First World War
Review: An excellent anthology. Obviously some of the most notables get lots of space, but there were some lesser knowns, as well as women and civilian poets. A very powerful book of verse from a very terrible period of our human experience. Excellent editing made for an excellent anthology. Overall rating: How I discovered or… Read more