Poetry Fanats 2008

[BonzaiJoe]

Nothing beats beer and football poetry! Yes that's right, screw football and let's have some real cultural aesthetics here. I'll start by posting one of my favourite poems, by John Keats http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keats. It's called "Ode To Melancholy":

No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist
     Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;
Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd
     By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;
Make not your rosary of yew-berries,
     Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be
          Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl
A partner in your sorrow's mysteries;
     For shade to shade will come too drowsily,
          And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.


But when the melancholy fit shall fall
     Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,
That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,
     And hides the green hill in an April shroud;
Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose,
     Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave,
          Or on the wealth of glob?d peonies;
Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,
     Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave,
          And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.


She dwells with Beauty -- Beauty that must die;
     And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips
Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,
     Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:
Ay, in the very temple of Delight
     Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine,
          Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue
     Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine;
His soul shall taste the sadness of her might,
     And be among her cloudy trophies hung.



Some words:

Lethe = mythical river in the land of the dead, or something like that
wolfsbane, nightshade, yew-berries = poisonous plants
Proserpine = greek death goddess of sorts

[Krys TOFF]

Lethe = mythical river in the land of the dead, or something like that

Lethe is one of the 5 rivers separating the land of the living to the land of the deads in the Greek mythology. It was the river of Forgetfulness.
Therefore, when the author says he doesn't want to go to Lethe, it means he doesn't want to forget. Melancholy needs remembrance.

Most known of Greek's Hell rivers is the Styx, due to War of Troy story and Achille's heel.
Other rivers are Archeon, Cocyte and Phlegethon (not sure of English names, but at least those are French names).

[BonzaiJoe]

Thanks! That's important to know. Now the poem got just a bit better still!

[BonzaiJoe]

I wonder if wolfsbane, nightshade and yew-berries point to different meanings too then...

[zaqrack]

do we have a published poet amongst us? 
http://www.inlibroveritas.net/auteur2277.html

[JTK]

I love this topic, but my poetic abilities and love is, sorry, German language centered...

[CTG]

Sorry for saying that but poetry is just a useless game with words, without any REAL effect. Science moves the world. Tell me a single REALISTIC reason (so don't tell that: "because it forms your soul and mentality" or" because it's 'nice' and people need nice things") why literature or any arts are important for the world!

[Chulk]

Sorry for saying that but poetry is just a useless game with words, without any REAL effect. Science moves the world. Tell me a single REALISTIC reason (so don't tell that: "because it forms your soul and mentality" or" because it's 'nice' and people need nice things") why literature or any arts are important for the world!

You'll know the answer if you had ever seen "Equilibrium". They ARE necessary, even if it can't be prooved how important they are. Imagine if we didn't have movies, or music, or books, don't you read books, watch movies and listen to music?

[CTG]

I don't read books unless I have to (science).
I don't like movies in general, I just watch some series and the obvious films being the part of the general basic knowledge (rather exercise, not fun).
I listen to music only if I'm drunk.

[CTG]

I accept only MARTIAL ARTS.

BonzaiJoe  17:26:21 Posting in Poetry Fanats 2008.

Here comes the master of nothing.

[BonzaiJoe]

Sorry for saying that but poetry is just a useless game with words, without any REAL effect. Science moves the world. Tell me a single REALISTIC reason (so don't tell that: "because it forms your soul and mentality" or" because it's 'nice' and people need nice things") why literature or any arts are important for the world!

That is complete bullshit.

First of all, you say "realistic" but you mean "material". Why should we care about what's material? Why do you think science is important for the world? I assume by "the world" you mean "human beings". To human beings, science may make it possible to live a bit longer or get to places faster, but what we need some CONTENT in life, or its pointless. Poetry and other art is this content, along with other things (love, sex, sports etc.). Science and all other material things are just tools to indirectly achieve these things.

[CTG]

I can't agree. Without science we would still live on the tree. No fire for example...

[zaqrack]

without art we might as well be robots. Stunts replays would also be very boring if it wouldnt be art.

[Chulk]

I can't agree. Without science we would still live on the tree. No fire for example...

I don't think fire was a scientific development... more like a factical discover, just no to say casual discover...

without art we might as well be robots. Stunts replays would also be very boring if it wouldnt be art.

AMEN!

[lised]

Sorry for saying that but poetry is just a useless game with words, without any REAL effect. Science moves the world. Tell me a single REALISTIC reason (so don't tell that: "because it forms your soul and mentality" or" because it's 'nice' and people need nice things") why literature or any arts are important for the world!

I think it does have a "real" (the version of "real" which is "real" to you ) effect. Fx: I write and read poetry almost everyday. It makes me feel better. Of course it doesn't matter to the world in general how I feel, BUT when I'm not well my father (who is a professor in economy) doesn't work as well as when I'm happy (I know that). I work in a bookshop so I guess my work isn't so important (when it comes to having effect in the "real" way), but I also work a lot worse, when I'm not feeling well.

Here's a fantastic poem for those who love German poetry  

Paul Celan - Todesfuge
 
Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken sie abends
wir trinken sie mittags und morgens wir trinken sie nachts
wir trinken und trinken
wir schaufeln ein Grab in den Lüften da liegt man nicht eng
Ein Mann wohnt im Haus der spielt mit den Schlangen der schreibt
der schreibt wenn es dunkelt nach Deutschland dein goldenes Haar Margarete
er schreibt es und tritt vor das Haus und es blitzen die Sterne er pfeift seine Rüden herbei
er pfeift seine Juden hervor läßt schaufeln ein Grab in der Erde
er befiehlt uns spielt auf nun zum Tanz

Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken dich nachts
wir trinken dich morgens und mittags wir trinken dich abends
wir trinken und trinken
Ein Mann wohnt im Haus der spielt mit den Schlangen der schreibt
der schreibt wenn es dunkelt nach Deutschland dein goldenes Haar Margarete
Dein aschenes Haar Sulamith wir schaufeln ein Grab in den Lüften da liegt man nicht eng

Er ruft stecht tiefer ins Erdreich ihr einen ihr andern singet und spielt
er greift nach dem Eisen im Gurt er schwingts seine Augen sind blau
stecht tiefer die Spaten ihr einen ihr andern spielt weiter zum Tanz auf

Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken dich nachts
wir trinken dich mittags und morgens wir trinken dich abends
wir trinken und trinken
ein Mann wohnt im Haus dein goldenes Haar Margarete
dein aschenes Haar Sulamith er spielt mit den Schlangen
Er ruft spielt süßer den Tod der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland
er ruft streicht dunkler die Geigen dann steigt ihr als Rauch in die Luft
dann habt ihr ein Grab in den Wolken da liegt man nicht eng

Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken dich nachts
wir trinken dich mittags der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland
wir trinken dich abends und morgens wir trinken und trinken
der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland sein Auge ist blau
er trifft dich mit bleierner Kugel er trifft dich genau
ein Mann wohnt im Haus dein goldenes Haar Margarete
er hetzt seine Rüden auf uns er schenkt uns ein Grab in der Luft
er spielt mit den Schlangen und träumet der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland

dein goldenes Haar Margarete
dein aschenes Haar Sulamith