Going by the current DSS flavor, since I didn't have any poetry of my own to share, I want to share some of the poems that have brought me utmost joy and have grown within me through the years, with you all.
I started reading and enjoying poetry as a kid, and probably that's why my favorite pieces of poetry will always be that...childlike uncomplicated appreciation of the world and its ways.
As to what I think of poetry itself...
Anyways, the first of these is "The Brook" by Alfred Tennyson. My mother introduced me to this poem, and I could never let go of the words " For men may come, and men may go, but I go on forever...". I remember how in an English class, the teacher kept chiding me for not being able to let go of a peculiar rhythm I would use when asked to read this poem aloud to the class. Now I think how ignorant the teacher was, about teaching poetry to a group of 4th grade kids. Read it, and tell me if you didnot hear the water or you didnot feel the movement and flow...
The second poem is also by Tennyson, and is a very short one. This one is called "The Eagle", and is the reason why I love poetry. Yes, six lines can be a reason to love poetry and delight in the splendor. The simple alliteration, an eye for beauty, and the pure veneration for that majestic bird, who appears to do everything in graceful slow motion, are what drew me to this verse.
The next poem is by the inimitable William Wordsworth, and you might have read this as children, The Daffodils. I would like to mention one line here - "...that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude...". Need I say more?
My favorite poet, though is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He was a brood, one whose poems are not as light as the previous ones. Yet, the beauty is startling. By simple quiet semi-personification, extra-ordinary similes, and deep, deep thought, he paints a picture in The Fire of Driftwood, that lingers forever and ever...
In all of the above poems, the beauty is their simple eye for the world, an appreciation for the creative works of God, and the ability to impart sound, light, color and feeling to words. The best part, in my opinion, is that one can enjoy these at varying levels of comprehension, something what most post-modernist poetry is unable to accomplish. Hope you enjoy these as much as I have...
Well, finally, there is one poem which I enjoy reading over and over again, although many of you may not. Here it is...
I started reading and enjoying poetry as a kid, and probably that's why my favorite pieces of poetry will always be that...childlike uncomplicated appreciation of the world and its ways.
As to what I think of poetry itself...
Poetry is simple, Poetry is a prayer,
Look at life anew, forget all your care,
It might be egotism, or maybe just a vent,
But for a moment, or eternity, it's a fresh scent.
Anyways, the first of these is "The Brook" by Alfred Tennyson. My mother introduced me to this poem, and I could never let go of the words " For men may come, and men may go, but I go on forever...". I remember how in an English class, the teacher kept chiding me for not being able to let go of a peculiar rhythm I would use when asked to read this poem aloud to the class. Now I think how ignorant the teacher was, about teaching poetry to a group of 4th grade kids. Read it, and tell me if you didnot hear the water or you didnot feel the movement and flow...
The second poem is also by Tennyson, and is a very short one. This one is called "The Eagle", and is the reason why I love poetry. Yes, six lines can be a reason to love poetry and delight in the splendor. The simple alliteration, an eye for beauty, and the pure veneration for that majestic bird, who appears to do everything in graceful slow motion, are what drew me to this verse.
The next poem is by the inimitable William Wordsworth, and you might have read this as children, The Daffodils. I would like to mention one line here - "...that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude...". Need I say more?
My favorite poet, though is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He was a brood, one whose poems are not as light as the previous ones. Yet, the beauty is startling. By simple quiet semi-personification, extra-ordinary similes, and deep, deep thought, he paints a picture in The Fire of Driftwood, that lingers forever and ever...
In all of the above poems, the beauty is their simple eye for the world, an appreciation for the creative works of God, and the ability to impart sound, light, color and feeling to words. The best part, in my opinion, is that one can enjoy these at varying levels of comprehension, something what most post-modernist poetry is unable to accomplish. Hope you enjoy these as much as I have...
Well, finally, there is one poem which I enjoy reading over and over again, although many of you may not. Here it is...
3 comments:
hmm..... the driftwood one made me stop by. Am suprised i have never come across it before.
my fav's off the top of my head are:
The road not taken
and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening both by Robert Frost
and Shakespeare's sonnet CXVI
i am more influenced by hindi, urdu kinda poetry tho. Also there are some gr8 collections of tagore translated to english, lovely reads! but then we are not talkin abt that here :P
Hi Mindsurfer; thanks for putting up the collection. "The Eagle" is one of my fav poems also. Just six lines and the imagery is so powerful.
nice blog dude...i was always more impressed by robert frost than wordsworth...that guy used to write some intense stuff...
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