By turns whimsical and apocalyptic, brilliant and yet somehow simple, British poet William Blake (1757-1827) expanded the boundaries of poetry both with language and visuals to create a body of work that has become among the most beloved in the English language. Known more for his visual arts than his poetry in his lifetime, Blake's poetry was often illustrated by his own ...
The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. ~ Elizabeth Bishop Esso cans. Cats named Minnow. Fish houses. All the detritus of everyday life, scenes and items and even people destined for obsolescence - these are are subjects that Elizabeth Bishop captured ...
Always be a poet, even in prose. ~ Charles Baudelaire As controversial and heralded today as he was in the 19th Century, poet Charles Baudelaire's influence over poets, writers, and even musicians is a testament both to his talent and the cult of personality that has grown as much out of his lifestyle as is poetry. Charles Baudelaire was born in Paris in 1821. He began his career as a writer in ...
Poet Wystan Hugh Auden, better known as W.H. Auden, imbued his poetry with a style and sensibility that elevated him to the status of one of the 20th century's best-known and most-respected poets. Auden's poems deal with universal themes such as love, political and social concerns, religion and personal morals, often set against the backdrop of man's relation to the natural ...
When Mazisi Kunene died this past August, it was in the city of his birth, Durban, South Africa. Kunene, 76, had spent over thirty years in exile from his native land before returning to it in 1993. In 2005, his country honored him with the title of Poet Laureate. It was a finally fitting tribute from the land that he never stopped loving, even through ...
