Thomas Kinsella
Author's posts
Oct 05
Shakespeare Sonnets
Feel free to read as many of the sonnets as you care to do, but at least (please) read the following: 1, 2, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 29, 30, 44, 45, 50, 51, 55, 60, 64, 71, 73, 76, 77, 87, 92, 106, 110, 116, 127, 129, 130, 132, 135, 138, 144, 143, 146, …
Oct 02
A brief moment in love
Here is a brief synopsis of the “plot” behind 10 consecutive sonnets in Astrophel & Stella; In sonnet 69 Stella has made some conditional statement of love to Astrophel; in sonnet 70, he hopes for a more positive outcome to his trial, and as the sonnet closes asks for silence instead of more writing (note …
Oct 01
Sidney’s Coat of arms
Sidney’s coat of arms, left, with Frances Walsingham’s, right. Sidney and Walsingham married in 1583.
Sep 26
Reading Astrophel and Stella
There are 110 sonnets in Sidney’s Astrophel and Stella. We are going to read them all (skipping the songs at the end of our edition). That means by Friday I would like you to read through sonnet 35. By next Monday try to reach sonnet 80; and for next Wednesday finish up the sequence. You …
Sep 24
Mr. Soul & Mr. Spenser
Neil Young recorded “Mr. Soul” with Buffalo Springfield in 1967. Here are two versions: Mr. Soul (live 2002) Mr. Soul — from Trans (1982) * * * Visions of Bellay (published in 1591); these are updated versions of Spenser’s 1569 Sonets. Sonets from 1569 Visions of Petrarch (published in 1591); these are updated versions of …
Sep 17
Noli me tangere
Here’s a translation for Noli me tangere: “don’t touch me” or “touch me not.”
Sep 14
Fussell on meter
“Because it inhabits the physical form of the very words themselves, meter is the most fundamental technique of order available to the poet. The other poetic techniques of order — rhyme, line division, stanzaic form, and over-all-structure — are all projections and magnifications of the kind of formalizing repetition which meter embodies. They are meter …
Sep 13
READ Skelton for Friday
Dan was right to be asking “What about Friday.” After most of you left I took a better look at the syllabus and find we are to begin reading “John Skelton.” Do that. Following the links on the syllabus. If you want to print out the pages, you will probably have to download the pdf …
Sep 07
On My First Son
Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy; My sin was too much hope of thee, lov’d boy. Seven years thou wert lent to me, and I thee pay, Exacted by thy fate, on the just day. Oh, could I lose all father now! For why Will man lament the state he should envy? …