Hi all,

I’ve picked out a couple metaphysical poets for us to talk through on tuesday to match will go well with the Pinsky book and the contemporary poems Liz picked.

What I have for you are two poems and a bit of background on the movement with which they’re associated. I’ll print out some copies, of course. Here is a useful description of the Metaphysical Poets in general: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5662 Also, check out T. S. Eliot’s iconic essay on the Metaphysicals (which includes some useful close readings of other poems that might end up on the exam), which is linked in the article.

George Herbert

Love (III)

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
	Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
	From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
	If I lacked anything.

"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here":
	Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
	I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
	"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame
	Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
	"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
	So I did sit and eat.

Andrew Marvell

The Mower’s Song

My mind was once the true survey
    Of all these meadows fresh and gay,
    And in the greenness of the grass
    Did see its hopes as in a glass;
    When Juliana came, and she
What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me.

    But these, while I with sorrow pine,
    Grew more luxuriant still and fine,
    That not one blade of grass you spied,
    But had a flower on either side;
    When Juliana came, and she
What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me.

    Unthankful meadows, could you so
    A fellowship so true forgo,
    And in your gaudy May-games meet,
    While I lay trodden under feet?
    When Juliana came, and she
What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me.

    But what you in compassion ought,
    Shall now by my revenge be wrought:
    And flow'rs, and grass, and I and all,
    Will in one common ruin fall.
    For Juliana comes, and she
What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me.

    And thus, ye meadows, which have been
    Companions of my thoughts more green,
    Shall now the heraldry become
    With which I will adorn my tomb;
    For Juliana comes, and she
What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me.

Hi all!

As promised, I’ve scanned the Robert Pinsky book Sounds of Poetry for us to read for Tuesday. You can download the file by clicking on this link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IN8KS5KG It will make you wait 45 seconds or something until you’re able to click Download and save the file to your computer. If you have problems, message me (a.j.lucchesi@gmail.com) and let me know.

It’s by no rights a perfect book (parts of his writing are really irritating, I’m remembering now, and parts will be too basic for our purposes), but it gives a good walk-through on analyzing poetry esp for meter, rhythm, and form. Skim. We’ll talk through our responses to it on Tuesday 6/21 when we meet.

Over the weekend, Liz and I will circulate the second part of our prep reading for 6/21: two sets of poems and brief background/context about them.

Andrew