All about: love

Reading: Old Couple by Charles Simic
Charles Simic (b. 1938) is an American poet born in Servia. His early childhood during World War 2 informed some of his poetry, that is said to be haunting and agonizing, but replete with gallows humor. He also wrote a lot of poems about everyday objects, such as spoons, knives and forks. I found this ...
Reading: This Is Just To Say by William Carlos Williams
Something light and exhilarating today. William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) was a New York poet important voice of modernism and symbolism, who was celebrated by Ginsberg and the Beats for his accessibility. For our growing anthology, I read what is probably the most famous post-it note of American culture: This is just to say I have ...
Reading: After Love by Sara Teasdale
Today I discover a short gem written by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933), who wrote a lot of love poetry and committed suicide at the age of 48. I came across this timeless poem about passion:
Reading: Sad steps by Philip Larkin
I browsed a digital collection of Larkin (1922-1985) to get an idea of his poetry. Returning appears to be the theme of aging, or in the words of this biography, "A sense that life is a finite prelude to oblivion underlies many of Larkin's poems". The man himself said "Deprivation is for me what daffodils ...
Reading: La fausse morte by Paul Valéry
Paul Valéry (1971-1945) I found a short poem in a remarkable translation by Nathaniel Rudavsky-Brody: The Faux Death Humble, tender, against the charming tomb, ______Unfeeling monument That out of shadows, leavings, offered love ______Conjures your weary grace, I fall, dying against you, dying — Yet, No sooner fallen across the low grave Whose lawn littered ...
Reading: To the barbarian by Elke Lasker-Schüler
Else Lasker-Schüler (1869-1945) lived a bohemian life and is famous for her love poetry. So let's read a love poem by her hand today. I found some nice English translations by Johannes Beilharz: To the barbarian I cover your face With my body and soul at night. I plant cedars and almond trees On the ...
Reading: The silence of love by Han Yong-Un
Korean poet Han Yong-Un (pen name Manhae; 1879-1944) was a Buddhist monk who resisted against the Japanese occupation of Korea. He wrote about nationalism and love. I choose love, of course, and this famous 'national' poem. There is a creative English translation by ljlee (he also provides useful background information), which I like, but sounded ...
Reading: In the Greenhouse by Eugenio Montale
Eugenio Montale (1896-1981) is considered the greatest Italian poet since Leopardi. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1975. I read In the Greenhouse in a translation by Charles Wright. Here is an alternative translation (and seven other poems for good measure). In the Greenhouse The lemon bushes overflowed with the patter of mole paws, the scythe ...
To survive myself I forged you like a weapon, like an arrow in my bow, a stone in my sling. (Pablo Neruda)