The Passionate Pilgrim, a collection of beautiful verses by Shakespeare and other contemporary poets, is here paired with the Bard's intriguing allegorical work The Phoenix and the Turtle, which focuses on the love and death of two birds a Phoenix and a Turtle Dove. Mysterious and haunting, these rarely recorded works are richly rewarding, performed to perfection by Gerard Logan. Highly praised for his performance of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece, AUK Classics now bring you a wonderful set of readings from Olivier Award nominated actor Gerard Logan. This collection of readings will delight and enthrall in equal measure, and will appeal to many people, from casual listeners to true Shakespare fans. It may also be seen as a masterclass for aspiring performers, and will enhance any audiobook collection.

Shakespeare Classics

The Phoenix and the Turtle / The Passionate Pilgrim

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a book by the English poet and printmaker William Blake. It is a series of texts written in imitation of biblical prophecy but expressing Blake's own intensely personal Romantic and revolutionary beliefs. Like his other books, it was published as printed sheets from etched plates containing prose, poetry, and illustrations. The plates were then coloured by Blake and his wife Catherine. It opens with an introduction of a short poem entitled "Rintrah roars and shakes his fires in the burden'd air". William Blake claims that John Milton was a true poet and his epic poem Paradise Lost was "of the Devil's party without knowing it". He also claims that Milton's Satan was truly his Messiah. The work was composed between 1790 and 1793, in the period of radical ferment and political conflict during the French Revolution. The title is an ironic reference to Emanuel Swedenborg's theological work Heaven and Hell, published in Latin 33 years earlier. Swedenborg is directly cited and criticized by Blake in several places in the Marriage. Though Blake was influenced by his grand and mystical cosmic conception, Swedenborg's conventional moral strictures and his Manichaean view of good and evil led Blake to express a deliberately depolarized and unified vision of the cosmos in which the material world and physical desire are equally part of the divine order; hence, a marriage of heaven and hell. The book is written in prose, except for the opening "Argument" and the "Song of Liberty". The book describes the poet's visit to Hell, a device adopted by Blake from Dante's Divine Comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost. Interpretation: Blake's theory of contraries was not a belief in opposites but rather a belief that each person reflects the contrary nature of God, and that progression in life is impossible without contraries. Moreover, he explores the contrary nature of reason and of energy, believing that two types of people existed: the "energetic creators" and the "rational organizers", or, as he calls them in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, the "devils" and "angels". Both are necessary to life according to Blake. Blake's text has been interpreted in many ways. It certainly forms part of the revolutionary culture of the period. The references to the printing-house suggest the underground radical printers producing revolutionary pamphlets at the time. Ink-blackened printworkers were comically referred to as a "printer's devil", and revolutionary publications were regularly denounced from the pulpits as the work of the devil.

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

This is the completely illustrated and annotated edition including an extensive primer on the author's life and works and many splendid drawings by Harrsion Fisher. 'This Indian Edda, if I may so call it,' says the author, 'is founded on a tradition, prevalent among the North American Indians, of a personage of miraculous birth, who was sent among them to clear their rivers, forests, and fishing-grounds, and to teach them the arts of peace. He was known among different tribes by the several names of Michabou, Chiabo, Manabozho, Tarcuyawagon, and Hiawatha. ' We are further informed, that 'the scene of the poem is among the Ojibways on the southern shore of Lake Superior, in the region between the Pictured Rocks and the Grand Sable.' Here then, at last, is a genuine American poem, by a native of America; a poem redolent of pine-forests and the smoke of wigwams. ' In reading American poetry, we never get beyond the shores of Kent,' said a surly critic some years ago. It is obvious enough, that if this complaint was justifiable then, it is utterly without foundation now. Longfellow's poem created an immense and instant sensation, not only in this country, but in England. It was read, it was quoted, it was praised, it was ridiculed, it was dramatized, it was parodied, it was attacked as a plagiarism. It remains to this day the most parodied poem in the English language.

The Song of Hiawatha

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence. In 2016, Terence Davies released A Quiet Passion, a biographical film about the life of Emily Dickinson. The film stars Cynthia Nixon as the reclusive poet. It co-stars Emma Bell as young Dickinson, Jennifer Ehle, Duncan Duff and Keith Carradine.

Emily Dickinson: Complete Poems

One spring day, the Narrator of The Canterbury Tales rents a room at the Tabard Inn before he recommences his journey to Canterbury. That evening, a group of people arrive at the inn, all of whom are also going to Canterbury to receive the blessings of "the holy blissful martyr," St. Thomas à Becket. Calling themselves "pilgrims" because of their destination, they accept the Narrator into their company. The Narrator describes his newfound traveling companions. The Host at the inn, Harry Bailey, suggests that, to make the trip to Canterbury pass more pleasantly, each member of the party tell two tales on the journey to Canterbury and two more tales on the journey back. The person who tells the best story will be rewarded with a sumptuous dinner paid for by the other members of the party. The Host decides to accompany the pilgrims to Canterbury and serve as the judge of the tales. (non illustrated)

The Canterbury Tales (Feathers Classics)

The poet Manuela Di Dalmazi with her collection "It's time to disobey" gives us a scent of paintings representative of reality as her personal reading manages to capture. The disobedience that is invoked is necessarily that of the death of the soul. The difficult time we are living is characterized by a strong and incisive precariousness that reverberates on the way of life and therefore on all spheres of feelings that are involved in a decisive way. Freedom is constantly confronting the unpredictable. From this introspection comes the concept of pain as the foundation of life that we must learn to recognize and welcome so as to manage it in the daily difficulties to make it fruitful: "... after all, there is no beautiful thing that does not have a cut-off sign ... " This search in the soul and subsequent opening to the world makes love, friendship and even pain more real, making them pure. One is fascinated by the dreamlike dance of her verses where the transpositions become a flowing and caressing "song" for the reader. Faith and love emerge from every work, becoming its driving forces and points to be observed as goals to be pursued and achieved. "Love is the choice to go on a journey ..." The weaving of the collection consists of three distinct parts connected by the same thread but made extremely pleasant for the intellect. Disobey with love because love always wins. Enjoy the reading.

It's time to  disobedy...

This book contains the complete novels of Fyodor Dostoyevsky in the chronological order of their original publication. Poor Folk The Double Notes From The Underground Crime and Punishment The Gambler The Idiot The Possessed (The Devils) A Raw Youth The Dream of a Ridiculous Man The Brothers Karamazov

Fyodor Dostoyevsky: The Complete Novels

Rupi Kaur performs the first-ever recording of home body, her third #1 New York Times bestselling collection of poetry and prose. This production was performed and recorded in 2021 along with the brand-new audio edition of milk and honey and the first audio recording of her second collection, the sun and her flowers. Kaur constantly embraces growth, and in home body, she walks listeners through a reflective and intimate journey visiting the past, the present, and the potential of the self. home body is a collection of raw, honest conversations with oneself—reminding listeners to fill up on love, acceptance, community, family, and embrace change. Themes of nature and nurture, light and dark, rest here. i dive into the well of my body and end up in another world everything i need already exists in me there’s no need to look anywhere else —home

Home Body

It is a cold day in Ireland, the 26th of December; frost lies thick on the blackthorn. A man walks the just-waking village, banging on every door, summoning the boys. Today is St. Stephen's Day, when legend has it that the Saint was betrayed by a wren's call, and the boys are off to the forest where they hope to find the traitorous bird and capture it by nightfall. But what will they do if their prey escapes them? Inspired by the many myths of the wren and the Irish tradition of hunting it, Carol Ann Duffy's beautiful new Christmas poem takes us on a chase through a snowy, rural landscape and ends with a merry celebration. With gorgeous full-colour illustrations by Dermot Flynn throughout, The Wren-Boys will make a perfect stocking-filler this festive season.

The Wren-Boys

what if / I actually – am – a bird / my cupped hands / opening to release me... Phil Barnett's relationship with birds is so close that his poetry blurs the distinctions between himself and the birds - a kind of ornimorphology where rather than giving the birds human characteristics, the reverse happens, and he imagines himself as a bird. Phil Barnett is a photographer, writer, musician, artist and naturalist, who has a passion for the birds that kept him company through a long hard illness. His photography and poetry have quite a following on social media, which is where we found him, on The Daily Haiku. His skill as a photographer leads to an acute visual sensibility, and his slow recovery moves from a tick sheet his mother had to fill in for him, to extraordinary poetry - full of wit and wonder and spectacular language.

Birds Knit My Ribs Together

Rebecca Hurst's first collection bridges memory and observation, noting the detail of the natural world and our changing relation to it. The book's places are made familiar by walking. It encounters other worlds alive with new and recovered ideas and images – from the folk traditions of her Sussex childhood, to archival encounters with a nineteenth-century nurse-explorer, and her undergraduate training as a Kremlinologist. Her language is deeply rooted, as keenly aware of etymologies as of history. Shaped by myth, history and desire, the poems of The Iron Bridge are theatrical, fierce, music-infused.

The Iron Bridge

Sappho The twilight's inner flame grows blue and deep, And in my Lesbos, over leagues of sea, The temples glimmer moonwise in the trees. Twilight has veiled the little flower face Here on my heart, but still the night is kind And leaves her warm sweet weight against my breast. Am I that Sappho who would run at dusk Along the surges creeping up the shore When tides came in to ease the hungry beach, And running, running, till the night was black, Would fall forespent upon the chilly sand And quiver with the winds from off the sea? Ah, quietly the shingle waits the tides Whose waves are stinging kisses, but to me Love brought no peace, nor darkness any rest. I crept and touched the foam with fevered hands And cried to Love, from whom the sea is sweet, From whom the sea is bitterer than death. Ah, Aphrodite, if I sing no more To thee, God's daughter, powerful as God, It is that thou hast made my life too sweet To hold the added sweetness of a song. There is a quiet at the heart of love, And I have pierced the pain and come to peace. I hold my peace, my Cleis, on my heart; And softer than a little wild bird's wing Are kisses that she pours upon my mouth. Ah, never any more when spring like fire Will flicker in the newly opened leaves, Shall I steal forth to seek for solitude Beyond the lure of light Alcaeus' lyre, Beyond the sob that stilled Erinna's voice. Ah, never with a throat that aches with song, Beneath the white uncaring sky of spring, Shall I go forth to hide awhile from Love The quiver and the crying of my heart. Still I remember how I strove to flee The love-note of the birds, and bowed my head To hurry faster, but upon the ground I saw two winged shadows side by side, And all the world's spring passion stifled me. Ah, Love, there is no fleeing from thy might, No lonely place where thou hast never trod, No desert thou hast left uncarpeted With flowers that spring beneath thy perfect feet. In many guises didst thou come to me; I saw thee by the maidens while they danced, Phaon allured me with a look of thine, In Anactoria I knew thy grace, I looked at Cercolas and saw thine eyes; But never wholly, soul and body mine, Didst thou bid any love me as I loved. Now I have found the peace that fled from me; Close, close, against my heart I hold my world. Ah, Love that made my life a lyric cry, Ah, Love that tuned my lips to lyres of thine, I taught the world thy music, now alone I sing for one who falls asleep to hear.

Helen of Troy and Other Poems

The Grieving Project is an inventive, unique spoken word audiobook from award-winning artist, author, playwright Aoede (Lisa A. Sniderman), that sets the stages of grief to music to help us move from surviving to thriving… the entire audiobook-all 22 tracks-is spoken over original musical compositions. Four different people. Four different chronic illness experiences. Plunging through 14 stages of grieving and thriving, through a melding of spoken words and an emotional orchestra. Taking us on a moving journey from surviving... to thriving. What can you do when you struggle with an illness or disability that doesn’t go away? You can deny it. You can suffer from and live in fear of it. You can scream at it and demand to know why it’s there. You can come to terms with it. You can feel sorry for yourself. You can make friends with it. You can learn to live your life with it. You can grieve. And perhaps if you grieve, you can awaken, express, rejuvenate, activate, connect, shine and thrive, not only despite, but because of it. During the 12 years I’ve lived with my rare progressive muscle weakness disease, dermatomyositis, I forgot to grieve. In The Grieving Project, I’ve invited myself to grieve and thrive; to express and feel in ways I’ve intentionally avoided, and from my own experiences, created seven new stages of thriving that pick up after grieving. Though presented as separate stages, grieving and thriving do not follow not linear timelines; they are a roller coaster with myriad twists and turns; an intense jumble of simultaneous physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual feelings and reactions. The Grieving Project is a road map to our hearts, an invitation for you to grieve your loss, your change, your unexpected and unwanted transformation, and the inspiration and encouragement you need to awaken, express, rejuvenate, activate, connect, shine and truly thrive. Cover: Jasmine Raskas (unusmundusart.com) Produced by Angelo "Scrote" Bundini

The Grieving Project

Hi, I am Edgardo Camacho, the author and narrator of High Energy: All in This World and Beyond.  This audio book is my 20th anniversary celebration of my 2004 publication for my old and new fans to enjoy.  Thank you.

High Energy

SELECTED POEMS is a selection of Henrik Nordbrandt's poems, translated into English in a cooperation between Alexander Taylor, Nadia Christensen and Henrik Nordbrandt.

Selected Poems

In "Poems by Walt Whitman," the quintessential voice of 19th-century American poetry emerges, encapsulating the spirit of democracy, individuality, and the connection to nature. Whitman's literary style is characterized by free verse, innovative structure, and vivid imagery, reflecting the diverse rhythms of American life. His work transcends conventional themes, embracing the complexities of existence, sexuality, and the human experience within the backdrop of a burgeoning nation. This collection not only showcases the beauty of everyday life but also serves as a manifesto for progressive ideals, urging readers to celebrate their own unique journeys. Walt Whitman, an influential poet and essayist, was deeply inspired by the democratic ideals of his time and the tumultuous events of American history, including the Civil War. His experiences as a journalist and volunteer nurse during the war profoundly shaped his understanding of humanity and empathy, themes that resonate throughout his poetry. Whitman'Äôs commitment to celebrating the individuality of each person made him a pioneer of modern poetry, breaking away from traditional forms and conventions. "Poems by Walt Whitman" is a compelling collection that invites readers to explore the richness of their own experiences while challenging societal norms. It is an essential read for those seeking to understand the landscape of American literature and the heart of a poet whose revolutionary vision continues to inspire.

Poems by Walt Whitman

Shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize 2023 Shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection 2023 A The Irish Times Book of the Year In his disquieting third collection The Ink Cloud Reader, Kit Fan takes enormous risks linguistically, formally and visually to process the news of a sudden illness and the threat of mortality, set against the larger chaos of his beloved city Hong Kong and our broken planet. These shape-shifting poems are sensitive to anxiety and to beauty, questioning the turbulent climate of our time while celebrating the power of ink – of reading and writing.

The Ink Cloud Reader

In this follow up to her best-selling debut collection of poetry ("Enough Rope" from 1926) Dorothy Parker published "Sunset Gun" (1928) her second of three volumes of short verse. One of the 20th century's most celebrated and renowned humorists, Parker once again delivers a biting, satiric and insightful look at love, life and literature in this brilliant collection. Dorothy Parker - social commentator, political reformer and legendary wit - has enjoyed a special place in American culture and "Sunset Gun" is another early example of Parker's unique and wry commentary on modern life. It is presented here in its original and unabridged format.

Sunset Gun - Poems by Dorothy Parker - Unabridged

The Oxford Book of English Verse is a seminal anthology that showcases a rich tapestry of English poetry, spanning from the medieval period to the early 20th century. The collection is characterized by its careful selection and arrangement, allowing readers to experience the evolution of poetic forms, themes, and voices across historical contexts. From the haunting lyricism of Sir Thomas Wyatt to the innovative modernism of W. H. Auden, this anthology serves as both a literary treasure and a critical reference, reflecting the diverse cultural and social landscapes that influenced these poets. Curated by a team of esteemed literary scholars, The Oxford Book of English Verse draws on the editors' profound understanding of English literary tradition. Their meticulous attention to the historical backgrounds and stylistic nuances of the poems enriches the reader's comprehension and appreciation of the art form. The anthology advances the discourse on poetic evolution, demonstrating how historical events resonate through the work of poets, thus providing a compelling lens through which to view English literature as a whole. I highly recommend this anthology to both seasoned scholars and those new to poetry. Its comprehensive range offers insight into various movements and styles, making it an essential resource for understanding the complexities of English verse. Whether you seek inspiration or scholarly reference, The Oxford Book of English Verse stands as a cornerstone in the study of poetry.

The Oxford Book of English Verse

Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton. The poem concerns the Biblical story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton's purpose, stated in Book I, is to "justify the ways of God to men". Milton's story has two narrative arcs, one about Satan and the other following Adam and Eve. It begins after Satan and the other rebel angels have been defeated and banished to Hell, or, as it is also called in the poem, Tartarus. In Pandemonium, Satan employs his rhetorical skill to organize his followers; he is aided by Mammon and Beelzebub. Belial and Moloch are also present. At the end of the debate, Satan volunteers to poison the newly created Earth and God's new and most favored creation, Mankind. He braves the dangers of the Abyss alone in a manner reminiscent of Odysseus or Aeneas. After an arduous traversal of the Chaos outside Hell, he enters God's new material World, and later the Garden of Eden. At several points in the poem, an Angelic War over Heaven is recounted from different perspectives. Satan's rebellion follows the epic convention of large-scale warfare. The battles between the faithful angels and Satan's forces take place over three days. At the final battle, the Son of God single-handedly defeats the entire legion of angelic rebels and banishes them from Heaven. Following this purge, God creates the World, culminating in his creation of Adam and Eve. While God gave Adam and Eve total freedom and power to rule over all creation, He gave them one explicit command: not to eat from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil on penalty of death. The story of Adam and Eve's temptation and fall is a fundamentally different, new kind of epic: a domestic one. Adam and Eve are presented for the first time[citation needed] in Christian literature as having a full relationship while still being without sin. They have passions and distinct personalities. Satan, disguised in the form of a serpent, successfully tempts Eve to eat from the Tree by preying on her vanity and tricking her with rhetoric. Adam, learning that Eve has sinned, knowingly commits the same sin. He declares to Eve that since she was made from his flesh, they are bound to one another ‒ if she dies, he must also die. In this manner, Milton portrays Adam as a heroic figure, but also as a greater sinner than Eve, as he is aware that what he is doing is wrong. After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve have lustful sex. At first, Adam is convinced that Eve was right in thinking that eating the fruit would be beneficial. However, they soon fall asleep and have terrible nightmares, and after they awake, they experience guilt and shame for the first time. Realizing that they have committed a terrible act against God, they engage in mutual recrimination.

Paradise Lost

Christina Georgina Rossetti's "Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress, and Other Poems" is a rich tapestry of verse that weaves together themes of temptation, sacrifice, and redemption. With its striking imagery and lush symbolism, the collection transcends the confines of Victorian poetry, drawing on fairy tale motifs and moral allegory to explore deeper existential questions. Rossetti's unique use of rhythm and rhyme, coupled with her profound emotional depth, allows readers to navigate complex emotions of desire and loss, making her work resonate beyond its time. Rossetti, a prominent figure in the Pre-Raphaelite movement, was deeply influenced by her background in a family of artists and writers, as well as her strong ties to the Anglican faith. Her experiences with love, loss, and spirituality inform the nuances of her poetry, allowing her to express the complexities of human experience with sensitivity and insight. Rossetti's struggle with personal affliction and societal constraints prompted her to craft poems that engage with themes of women's agency, cultural expectation, and the interplay of light and darkness. This compelling collection is a must-read for anyone interested in Victorian literature, gender studies, or the evolution of poetic form. Rossetti's work invites readers to reflect on the nature of desire and its consequences, making it a timeless exploration of the human condition. Delve into this enchanting world where the beauty of language intertwines with profound truths.

Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress, and Other Poems

Shortlisted for the Writers' Prize 2024 Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2024 Longlisted for the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature 2024 Winner of the T.S. Eliot Prize 2023 Winner of the Forward Prize for Best Collection 2023 The Poetry Book Society Spring Choice 2023 A Guardian and The Irish Times Book of the Year Jason Allen-Paisant's debut collection Thinking With Trees won the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for poetry and was an Irish Times and White Review Book of the Year 2021. In Poetry London Maryam Hessavi wrote, 'Jason Allen-Paisant is uncompromising when digging down through the undergrowth of our imperialist past – and yet he succeeds in replanting new narratives in the same soil where these toxic ideologies used to, and still, reside.' The interlocking poems of his second collection, Self-Portrait as Othello, imagine Othello in the urban landscapes of modern London, Paris and Venice and invent the kinds of narrative he might tell about his intersecting identities. Poetic memoir and ekphrastic experiment, Self-Portrait as Othello focuses on a character at once fictional and real. Othello here represents a structure of feeling that was emerging in seventeenth-century Venice, and is still with us. Portraiting himself as Othello, Allen-Paisant refracts his European travels and considers the Black male body, its presence, transgressiveness and vulnerabilities. Othello's intertwined identities as 'immigrant' and 'Black', which often operate as mutually reinforcing vectors, speak to us in the landscape of twenty-first-century Europe.

Self-Portrait as Othello

The depths of the womb are often not fully understood. Not only is it a source of life energy but the womb is the source of a woman's healing and a testament to her regenerating ability. This poetry collection honors the womb's capacity to heal herself, to birth her dreams, and to navigate the shadows of the feminine experience. From the loss of childhood innocence to the denial of societal expectations and conditioning, witness the peeling, shedding, and eventual re-birthing of a woman, through these poems, much like a phoenix rising from healing ashes of pain. Join me through moments of light, love, self-doubt, and conversations with grace. My prayer for you is that these words guide you to your own healing grace.

My Womb

Come Here to This Gate, Rory Waterman's fourth collection, is his most candid and unexpected, personal, brash, hilarious, and wide-ranging. The book is in three parts, the first a sequence about the last year of the life of his father, the poet Andrew Waterman, against a backdrop of recrimination, love and alcoholic dementia: 'your silences were trains departing'. The second consists of poems that open various gates, or are forcibly restrained behind them, from the literal North and South Korean border to the borders between friends, and those imposed by photographs, memories, and paths taken and not taken. The third opens on the poet's rural home county of Lincolnshire. He rewrites several folk tales into galloping, sometimes rambunctious ballads for the 2020s: what happens when imps, ghosts, and a boggart who looks like a 'doll left behind at Chernobyl' must reckon with the modern world and the people who lumber through it.

Come Here To This Gate

A World of Moments ”Jan-Inge Wijk’s performance was an hour-long interlacing work of words and music, that were recited or sung. The pieces appeared for the listener as a poetic world of images with a clear, connected inner context. The texts are about love and evil, death and creation, but their effect rested to a high degree on intonation and language sounds. Despite the heavy, solemn title, Wijk’s work has become a lyrical world of ideas, where the philosophical expression combined with a good portion of humour gave the audience a pleasurable and good experience.” – Ole Lauritzen “As a whole it is undoubtedly a profound work. The music creates meanings when it collides with the texts, and the whole unfolds like a picture in time of man in individual glimpses, seen from the mythical god-perspective represented by the singers. Not only was it a stylish performance both on the dramatic and musical level. Here food for thought was also found.” – Review of Palimpsest in Fyens Stiftstidende

UNIVERSAL MOMENTS

The Complete Poems of Walt Whitman encompasses the groundbreaking poetry of one of America's most influential authors, showcasing the evolution of his voice across various collections, most notably "Leaves of Grass." Whitman's distinct free verse style, characterized by its rhythmic cadence and expansive themes, defies traditional poetic forms, reflecting the ideals of Romanticism while embedding the principles of Transcendentalism. His work confronts the complexities of existence, nature, democracy, and individualism, making it a definitive reflection of 19th-century American life. This comprehensive compilation invites readers to experience the full spectrum of Whitman's explorations, from sensual celebrations of the body to profound meditations on death and the cosmos. Walt Whitman, born in 1819, was a pivotal figure in American literature whose experiences as a journalist, editor, and nurse during the Civil War deeply informed his approach to poetry. His radical embrace of the self and the collective was a departure from the conventions of his time, echoing the spirit of an emerging nation seeking identity and expression. Whitman sought to create a uniquely American voice that honored the diversity and unity of the human experience, pushing societal boundaries along the way. Readers are encouraged to delve into The Complete Poems of Walt Whitman, which offers not only a treasure trove of poetic brilliance but also a profound exploration of the human spirit. Whether you are a seasoned poetry enthusiast or a newcomer, Whitman's work invites you to reflect on the essential truths of existence, making this collection an indispensable addition to any literary library.

The Complete Poems of Walt Whitman

Introduction. By Harriet Monroe When 'Poetry, A Magazine of Verse', was first published in Chicago in the autumn of 1912, an Illinois poet, Vachel Lindsay, was, quite appropriately, one of its first discoveries. It may be not quite without significance that the issue of January, 1913, which led off with 'General William Booth Enters into Heaven', immediately followed the number in which the great poet of Bengal, Rabindra Nath Tagore, was first presented to the American public, and that these two antipodal poets soon appeared in person among the earliest visitors to the editor. For the coming together of East and West may prove to be the great event of the approaching era, and if the poetry of the now famous Bengali laureate garners the richest wisdom and highest spirituality of his ancient race, so one may venture to believe that the young Illinois troubadour brings from Lincoln's city an authentic strain of the lyric message of this newer world.

The Congo and Other Poems

This work is a continuation of the "Orlando Innamorato" of Matteo Maria Boiardo, which was left unfinished upon the author's death in 1494. It begins more or less at the point where Boiardo left it. Orlando Furioso; The Frenzy of Orlando, more literally Raging Roland) is an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was not published in its complete form until 1532. Orlando Furioso is a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's unfinished romance Orlando Innamorato (Orlando in Love, published posthumously in 1495). In its historical setting and characters, it shares some features with the Old French Chanson de Roland of the eleventh century, which tells of the death of Roland. The story is also a chivalric romance which stemmed from a tradition beginning in the late Middle Ages and continuing in popularity in the 16th century and well into the 17th. Orlando is the Christian knight known in French (and subsequently English) as Roland. The story takes place against the background of the war between Charlemagne's Christian paladins and the Saracen army that has invaded Europe and is attempting to overthrow the Christian empire. The poem is about war and love and the romantic ideal of chivalry. It mixes realism and fantasy, humor and tragedy. The stage is the entire world, plus a trip to the moon. The large cast of characters features Christians and Saracens, soldiers and sorcerers, and fantastic creatures including a gigantic sea monster called the orc and a flying horse called the hippogriff. Many themes are interwoven in its complicated episodic structure, but the most important are the paladin Orlando's unrequited love for the pagan princess Angelica, which drives him mad; the love between the female Christian warrior Bradamante and the Saracen Ruggiero, who are supposed to be the ancestors of Ariosto's patrons, the d'Este family of Ferrara; and the war between Christian and Infidel. The poem is divided into forty-six cantos, each containing a variable number of eight-line stanzas in ottava rima (a rhyme scheme of abababcc). Ottava rima had been used in previous Italian romantic epics, including Luigi Pulci's Morgante and Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato. Ariosto's work is 38,736 lines long in total, making it one of the longest poems in European literature.

Orlando Furioso

Experience the beauty and depth of John Keats's poetry like never before with this meticulously curated collection. These sonnets, brought to life through clear, crisp, and emotive narration, provide an unparalleled journey into the heart and mind of one of history's most celebrated poets. This comprehensive anthology contains almost every known poem penned by Keats, from his profound odes to his enchanting sonnets and everything in between. As you listen, you'll discover or rediscover the richness of his themes, the power of his language, and the sheer magic of his verse. Keats's work, brimming with vivid imagery and profound emotion, was born to be heard. When experienced in this format, each syllable, each phrase, and each verse resonates with a deeper meaning, making the poems all the more evocative and poignant. These audio re This book includes the following: Sonnet I to Sonnet XVII, A Dream, After Reading Dante's Episode Of Paulo And Francesca After Dark Vapors Have Oppress'd Our Plains As From The Darkening Gloom A Silver Dove If By Dull Rhymes Our English Must Be Chain'd Oh! How I Love, On A Fair Summer's Eve On A Picture Of Leander On Leigh Hunt's Poem 'The Story of Rimini', On The Sea The Day Is Gone, The Human Seasons To A Lady Seen For A Few Moments At Vauxhall To A Young Lady Who Sent Me A Laurel Crown When I Have Fears That I May Cease To Be Why Did I Laugh Tonight Written In Answer To A Sonnet By J H Reynolds Written In Disgust Of Vulgar Superstition Written On A Blank Page In Shakespere's Poems Facing 'A Lover's Complaint' Written On A Blank Space At The End Of Chaucer's Tale Of 'The Floure And The Lefe' Written Upon The Top Of Ben Nevis, Sonnet To Byron Sonnet To Chatterton Sonnet To George Keats - Written In Sickness Sonnet To Homer Sonnet To John Hamilton Reynolds Sonnet To Mrs. Reynolds's Cat Sonnet To Sleep Sonnet To Spenser Sonnet To The Nile Two Sonnets - To Haydon, With A Sonnet Written On Seeing The Elgin Marbles Two Sonnets On Fame.

Sonnets of John Keats

The epic poem BEOWULF has enthralled readers for centuries with its tale of adventure, heroism, and glory in combat. The court of Hrothgar, good king of the Danes, has fallen under attack from the vile giant Grendel. Beowulf, a young hero of the Geats, comes with his band of dauntless warriors to aid the king and prove his might in combat and skill as a leader before ascending the throne of his own land. Believed by scholars to have been composed sometime between A.D. 700 and 1000 by an unknown author, BEOWULF stands today as the great literary masterpiece of the Anglo-Saxon language, also known as Old English. The epic is presented here in the popular Modern English verse translation by Francis Barton Gummere.

Beowulf

William Carlos Williams (1883–1963), like his friend Ezra Pound, never finished his magnum opus, a poem as impossibly ambitious as the Cantos, but richly invested in the present world. It was published over a period of a dozen years (1946–1958) in five books, the sixth left incomplete. The first book was welcomed by the great American poet-critic Randall Jarrell. He called it 'the best thing Williams has ever written' – 'how wonderful and unlikely that this extraordinary mixture of the most delicate lyricism of perception and feeling with the hardest and homeliest actuality should ever have come into being! There has never been a poem more American.' He was disappointed with the books that followed. But he was expecting an American epic while Williams was delivering something more original, Whitmanesque, an evocation of a New Jersey community (Paterson), a great American river (the Passaic) that powered its mill wheels, a confluence of human and natural worlds in conflicts and harmonies. It is a great poem about humankind and the environment it finds, exploits but cannot dominate. The style has been called documentary, but that hardly does justice to its subtleties of tone and its American patterns of sound. Williams trained as a physician and practised as a doctor all his life. His double vocation produced a poetry different in kind from the erudite and culturally knowing and allusive work of his contemporaries. Its subtleties are of another kind.

Paterson

'I am drawn to paintings that catch glimpses of ordinary people in rooms that lead to other rooms,' Beverley Bie Brahic says. Apple Thieves is full of such painterly moments, remembered or caught on the fly, with their charge of mystery, like this shell – 'an empty house / a nudge will set rocking / almost indefinitely' – collected on the coast of her native British Columbia, whose diverse populations and their migrations she evokes in 'Root Vegetables'. Today, long resident in France, she relishes Paris – 'Smelling of piss and baking bread / The city in its glory and dereliction' – 'time-hedged cottages' and the earthbound in all its fragility.

Apple Thieves

In-Betweens is a collection of poetry that explores the spaces between beginnings and endings, joy and sorrow, connection and solitude. Through vivid imagery and raw emotion, it delves into the essence of what it means to be human, capturing the fleeting moments that define us.

In-betweens

In "Selected Poems of Oscar Wilde," the reader is invited into a meticulously crafted world where beauty and wit converge. Wilde'Äôs poems articulate profound themes of love, art, and societal critique with a remarkable precision that embodies the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century. Combining rich imagery with striking rhythms, these verses reflect Wilde's unique ability to blend lyrical passion with ironic humor, serving both as an aesthetic object and a commentary on contemporary Victorian norms. The compilation presents a diverse range of works, showcasing his talent in both the humorous and the deeply poignant, reflecting the complexity of the human experience. Oscar Wilde, a central figure in the fin-de-si√®cle literary scene, was profoundly influenced by his experiences and surroundings, including the rigid societal structures of his time. His background in classical studies and his forays into art and philosophy imbued his poetry with layers of meaning, enriching his exploration of identity, morality, and the pursuit of beauty. Wilde lived a tumultuous life, marked by both lavish success and tragic downfall, fueling the emotional depth found in his writings. "Selected Poems of Oscar Wilde" is a compelling read for those who appreciate the interplay of form and critique within poetry. It beckons not only poetry enthusiasts but also anyone interested in the intricate relationship between art and life. Wilde'Äôs profound insights and exquisite wordplay will resonate with readers, making this collection a lasting addition to the canon of English literature.

Selected Poems of Oscar Wilde

"Beowulf", a sprawling, fantastical tale of bravery, heroism, and Anglo-Saxon heraldry, is the most celebrated epic poem in the English language. The story of the great Geatish fighter Beowulf, who comes to the aid of the beleagued Hrothgar and his men, this poem relates three epic battles: Beowulf's fight with the monster Grendel, his face-off with Grendel's vengeful mother and, after serving as King for 50 years, Beowulf's fateful clash with a fire-breathing dragon. Francis B. Gummere's translation of this ancient text has been hailed for over a century and is here brought back to life with a summary of the poem by the English scholar Dr. J.L. Hall.

Beowulf - An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem

Few things can impart such a feeling of satisfaction as a well-tended garden. As he surveys his roses from the comfort of his deckchair on a warm summer’s evening, Brian Lawless can relax and forget for a while the long struggle with spray gun and secateurs. But soon he must return to the fight. Slugs and snails are stirring. Beneath the ground, weeds are beginning to sprout. Soon the hedges will need trimming and the lawn will need mowing. Before long the leaves will be falling and the gardener’s year, with all its frustrations and delights, will begin again.

The Gardener's Little Book of Verse

"The Raven" is a narrative poem by the American writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe. It was published for the first time on January 29, 1845, in the New York Evening Mirror. Noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere, it tells of the mysterious visit of a talking raven to a distraught lover, tracing his slow descent into madness.

The Raven

The collection Poems: Series One presents the first installment of the complete poetic works of Emily Dickinson. It is broken into the four parts Life, Love, Nature, and Time and Eternity and includes 115 poems. Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 - May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, into a prominent family with strong ties to its community. After studying at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she briefly attended the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, to even leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others depended entirely upon correspondence. While Dickinson was a prolific writer, her only publications during her lifetime were 10 of her nearly 1,800 poems, and one letter. The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique for her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends, and also explore aesthetics, society, nature and spirituality. Although Dickinson's acquaintances were most likely aware of her writing, it was not until after her death in 1886 - when Lavinia, Dickinson's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems - that her work became public. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, though both heavily edited the content. A 1998 article in The New York Times revealed that of the many edits made to Dickinson's work, the name Susan was often deliberately removed. At least eleven of Dickinson's poems were dedicated to sister-in-law Susan Huntington Gilbert Dickinson, though all the dedications were obliterated, presumably by Todd. A complete, and mostly unaltered, collection of her poetry became available for the first time when scholar Thomas H. Johnson published The Poems of Emily Dickinson in 1955.

Poems: Series One

This collection gathers together the works by William Shakespeare in a single, convenient, high quality, and extremely low priced Kindle volume! The Comedies of William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream All's Well That Ends Well As You Like It Love's Labour 's Lost Measure for Measure Much Ado About Nothing The Comedy of Errors The Merchant of Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor The Taming of the Shrew The Two Gentlemen of Verona Twelfth Night; or, What you will The Romances of William Shakespeare Cymbeline Pericles, Prince of Tyre The Tempest The Winter's Tale The Tragedies of William Shakespeare King Lear Romeo and Juliet The History of Troilus and Cressida The Life and Death of Julius Caesar The Life of Timon of Athens The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra The Tragedy of Coriolanus The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark The Tragedy of Macbeth The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice Titus Andronicus The Histories of William Shakespeare The Life and Death of King John The Life and Death of King Richard the Second The Tragedy of King Richard the Third The first part of King Henry the Fourth The second part of King Henry the Fourth The Life of King Henry V The first part of King Henry the Sixth The second part of King Henry the Sixth The third part of King Henry the Sixth The Life of King Henry the Eighth The Poetical Works of William Shakespeare The Sonnets Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music A Lover's Complaint The Rape of Lucrece Venus and Adonis The Phoenix and the Turtle The Passionate Pilgrim

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (37 plays, 160 sonnets and 5 Poetry Books With Active Table of Contents) (Quattro Classics)

Poetry & Prose is the first time Jordi Llavina’s work has been translated into English and published. The book is a collection of two of his most important and popular pieces of work: The Hermitage and The Pomegranate. In both, Jordi Llavina evokes the sights, sounds and smells of the Mediterranean landscape while weaving together themes of singular poetic beauty. The Hermitage, a long poem of more than 1400 lines, tells of the author’s physical and metaphysical journey up a hill in southern Catalonia to visit a hermitage. Llavina touches on many themes in this poem, including love, death, family, loss, hope and memories. In 2019, Jordi Llavina was awarded the prestigious Lletra d’Or prize for this poem. The second piece of work in the collection is The Pomegranate. Again written about a journey, The Pomegranate is a mix of both poetry and prose and tells the story of a grieving wanderer through the Catalan countryside.

Poetry & Prose

Jane Austen’s letters afford a unique insight into the daily life of the novelist: intimate and gossipy, observant and informative–they read much like the novels themselves. They bring alive her family and friends, her surroundings and contemporary events, all with a freshness unparalleled in modern biographies. Most importantly, we recognize the unmistakable voice of the author of such novels as Pride and Prejudice and Emma. We see the shift in her writing from witty and amusing descriptions of the social life of town and country, to a thoughtful and constructive tone while writing about the business of literary composition. Austen’s personal correspondence has stirred up controversy since her untimely death in 1817 at age 41. The next year her brother Henry Austen wrote in the ‘Biographical Notice of the Author’ included with the publication of her novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion that she ‘never dispatched a note or a letter unworthy of publication’. Years later, a niece Caroline Austen did not agree, ‘there is nothing in those letters which I have seen that would be acceptable to the public.’ In comparison to her published works, the letters do dwell upon ‘little matters’ of domestic life in the county, but to the patient reader we begin to understand Austen’s life and experiences beyond the minutia and realize through her clever descriptions and acerbic observations how this simple parson’s daughter became the author of novels that are so valued and cherished close to 200 years after their publication. The author gained far more status after her death, and her six full-length novels have rarely been out of print. A significant transition in her posthumous reputation occurred in 1833, when her novels were republished in Richard Bentley's Standard Novels series, illustrated by Ferdinand Pickering, and sold as a set.

The Letters of Jane Austen

This bilingual and illustrated edition offers to all English-speaking readers interested in poetry, and in the cultural legacy of Lisbon, verses written by great poets who were born or lived in Portugal's legendary capital city. The globally celebrated Luís de Camões and Fernando Pessoa, along with the latter's heteronyms, are joined by three other poets widely praised within the Portuguese-speaking world—Cesário Verde, Mário de Sá-Carneiro, and Florbela Espanca—, whom we have the pleasure of introducing to you.

Lisbon Poets. Camões, Cesário, Sá-Carneiro, Florbela, Pessoa

These are my life and life stories and life philosophies that haven't put a poem that have been waiting to be putting poem for a long time. Some of them might have strong language so I would be aware of some children reading them if their under 13 for swearing. Honest poems to and from honest people

My life in poems

The Raven A narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe. Published originally in January 1845, the poem has a musical quality with stylized language and a supernatural atmosphere. It speaks of a mysterious talking raven's visit to a distraught lover, depicting the man's slow fall into madness. The lover is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of "Pallas", the raven seems to have a purpose of further instigating his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". This poem makes good use of a number of folk and classical references.

The Supernatural Collection

"I’ve grown old– now my own name rings a bell." In each of the short poems in Billy Collins’s Musical Tables, the former United States Poet Laureate tempers his characteristically jocular voice with what he calls the “thrill of mortality” – flashes of profundity amongst the mundane, startling reminders of the wonder of being alive. Through the brevity of these poems, Collins’ knack for coaxing the poetry out of the everyday becomes ever more refined. Whether reflecting on mornings spent in the thicket of Los Angeles traffic, or turning over clichés on the tongue until old metaphors become new again, Musical Tables is Billy Collins at his most meditative: brief, and all the more brilliant for it. 'America’s favourite poet' – Wall Street Journal

Musical Tables

The Canzoniere of Petrarch (1304-74) is among Europe's most famous and influential books of lyrics. The focus of this large collection (7,500 lines) is Petrarch's lifelong love for the mysterious Laura, but the themes he treats are many and various. Often regarded as the first modern man to emerge from a mediaeval world, Petrarch remains modern in his perplexities, uncertainties, the hesitancies and diffidence he reveals, paradoxically, with assured artistry. J.G. Nichols brings out the obsessive passion, but also his wit and serious humour: The saying's all too true: we lose our hair but not our habits; and our failing sense does not make mortal feelings less intense. The shade our bodies cast is guilty here. from 'Poem 122' This is a rare event - a new verse translation of the whole of the Canzoniere, with notes on the page which illuminate difficulties and suggest the many connections between the poems. They are not randomly collected; they constitute a complex whole which continues to disclose new aspects as we look from different angles. Even those poems which have long been famous in the English of Wyatt and Surrey gain when read in context.

Canzoniere

The Complete Poems of John Keats is a collection of poetry that showcases the romantic sensibility and beauty of Keats' work. The poems found in this book are characterized by their vivid imagery, emotional depth, and a keen attention to the natural world. Keats' lyrical style and use of rich language sets him apart as one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era. Each poem immerses the reader in a world of beauty and passion, making this collection a must-read for poetry lovers. Keats' exploration of themes such as love, nature, and mortality resonates with readers even today, making his work timeless and enduring. This collection offers a comprehensive look at Keats' poetic genius, presenting his complete body of work in one volume. John Keats, known for his tragic life and untimely death, poured his heart and soul into his poetry, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and captivate readers. The Complete Poems of John Keats is a masterpiece that deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone who appreciates the beauty and power of poetry.

The Complete Poems of John Keats

The debut offering from one of the 20th century's most celebrated and renowned humorists, "Enough Rope" was an instant best-seller when it was released in 1926 and made Dorothy Parker a household name. The poems in this collection range from the satiric to the sentimental; wickedly clever and yet elegantly and expertly constructed. Parker's mastery of the turn of phrase or the cynical or sardonic final line instantly grabbed the reading public's attention and propelled Parker into the national spotlight, which she would not relinquish for the rest of her life. Dorothy Parker - social commentator, political reformer and legendary wit - has enjoyed a special place in American culture for almost a century and "Enough Rope" is an early example of Parker's unique and wry commentary on modern life. It is presented here in its original and unabridged format.

Enough Rope - Poems - Unabridged

William Blake's "The Grave" is a profound exploration of mortality, spirituality, and the human condition, encapsulated in a unique blend of poetry and visual art. Written in the late 18th century, the work exhibits Blake's signature symbolic language and vivid imagery, which challenge conventional notions of death and the afterlife. The interplay between life and death is depicted through haunting verses that delve into themes of love, loss, and eternal connection, all set against a backdrop of Blake's visionary cosmology. It offers a rich narrative that resonates with the Romantic era's preoccupation with nature and the sublime, while simultaneously critiquing societal norms surrounding death and fate. William Blake (1757-1827) was a visionary artist and poet whose works frequently engaged with the tensions between the spiritual and the material world. His own life experiences—including the early loss of loved ones, deep personal convictions about the nature of the soul, and a profound connection to the mystical—guided Blake's creative process. The struggle for personal and artistic freedom in a constrained society heavily influenced his writing, a theme vividly embodied in "The Grave." This extraordinary work deserves a wide readership for its lyrical beauty and profound insights into existential themes. Readers interested in exploring the depths of human emotion and the complex relationship between life and death will find "The Grave" to be a powerful and enlightening experience. Blake's unique perspective encourages reflection on our own mortality and the enduring essence of love, making this a must-read for enthusiasts of Romantic poetry and spiritual inquiry.

The Grave

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Poetry

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Poetry

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