name that poet

[Dirt McKert]

here's how this works.
i will post somebody's poem (by someone famous or well-known)
and the next person to post will try to guess the poet.
then that person will also post a poem
and then the next person will try to guess, then post a poem..
and so on and so forth until this thread is forgotten or ignored...

poem fragments are fine
but you've got to post more than 2 lines of it
or it's quite unfair.

so, here's the first poem:

as the
spirit
wanes
the form
appears.




(btw: i'm sorry if this is already a thread. if it is i won't care if this is deleted)

[Dirt McKert]

uh oh...i just saw the forum entitled "who said that?"

...this should probably go in that forum, huh?

[Logos]

I think it's more appropriate in this area :)

[Petrarch's Love]

Is it Bukowski?

Welcome Dirt McKert--I think the "who said that" is mainly for quotations, so you're probably fine leaving this thread in poetry, but if you wanted to move it I think this would make a great game for the "games" section of the forum (under "general chat"). It's up to you.

Oops! Almost forgot to post a poem, this is actually just a piece of a poem:

So much the rather thou celestial Light
Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers
Irradiate, there plant eyes, all mist from thence
Purge and dispense, that I may see and tell
Of things invisible to mortal sight.

[Dirt McKert]

Is it Bukowski?

Welcome Dirt McKert--I think the "who said that" is mainly for quotations, so you're probably fine leaving this thread in poetry, but if you wanted to move it I think this would make a great game for the "games" section of the forum (under "general chat").
nah, it's okay. if y'all say it's good here, then i'll leave it here :)

and yes, it's bukowski. (figured i'd start out easy - seeing as the answer is my avatar)

[Dirt McKert]

My first thought was, he lied in every word,
That hoary cripple, with malicious eye
Askance to watch the working of his lie
On mine, and mouth scarce able to afford
Suppression of the glee that pursed and scored
Its edge, at one more victim gained thereby.

[Bandini]

I was 'Bukowski' on here - but I changed back to my old avatar. You ever read any John Fante? Bukowski's favourite writer. The 'Bandini' series are his best known (and best).

[Dirt McKert]

no i have not. but i will look into his writing.


have you an answer for my latest exerpt?

[Xamonas Chegwe]

no i have not. but i will look into his writing.


have you an answer for my latest exerpt?

Yours is "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Browning, but no-one has answered PL's yet! Or do you get to post them all?

I won't bother posting another else it will get too confusing - I'm afraid that I don't know PL's, so whoever gets it can have the next go.

[Cervan]

**oops, somebody beat me.

[Dirt McKert]

Yours is "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Browning, but no-one has answered PL's yet! Or do you get to post them all?

I won't bother posting another else it will get too confusing - I'm afraid that I don't know PL's, so whoever gets it can have the next go.
oh she had nothing posted before.
so i didn't see it.

i'm going to guess that one is Emily Dickenson
(good job, btw. that's a personal favorite)

and if i got that right i'll post another poem

[Xamonas Chegwe]

You didn't - (I googled - but I did have a fair idea first) - it's Milton. You were only 300 years out. Not bad! :D

Guess that means I post.


The beautiful thing beckoned, big-haunched he loped,
Swagged with wealth, full-organised he tottered,

His sweetness dribbled,
His fever misted, he wanted to sob,

[Dirt McKert]

i don't have the answer for that one.

(and googling the answers is kinda unfair...nothing anyone can do about it, but it's unfair)

[Xamonas Chegwe]

i don't have the answer for that one.

(and googling the answers is kinda unfair...nothing anyone can do about it, but it's unfair)

I agree - normally - but I did already think it was Milton (75% sure), just didn't know the poem, and I knew it wasn't Dickinson. I just had to know! :nod: At least I was honest and said so - I could have just pretended to erudition I didn't own. :D

And if I had had no idea at all, I would never have googled.

[Petrarch's Love]

i'm going to guess that one is Emily Dickenson
(good job, btw. that's a personal favorite)

Who knew that Milton could sound like Dickinson! Actually, that's kind of funny because I was very close to posting one by Dickinson, but posted the Milton instead since the line "things invisible to mortal sight" has been playing in my head the last few days. It's from the intro to book three of PL.

The style of Xam's poem is really familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on who it reminds me of, and I don't think I actually know this particular poem. I'll have to give it a little thought and see if the lightbulb comes on.

[Petrarch's Love]

:idea: The lightbulb went on, or at least I realized what poet the lines dimly reminded me of--Ted Hughes. I'm probably entirely off though, because I'm only going by the style (though if it's not Hughes it would be really cool if it turned out to be Plath). I'm pretty sure it's a mid to late twentieth century British poet though, and I think it's a man writing. I've got a second guess, but I'll wait to see what Xam. says about my first one.

[The Unnamable]

It’s almost certainly Ted Hughes but I don’t know which one.

"Deign on the passing World to turne thine Eyes,
And pause awhile from Learning to be wise;
There mark what Ills the Scholar's Life assail,
Toil, Envy, Want, the Garret, and the Jail."

[Xamonas Chegwe]

It is indeed Hughes. the opening lines from "The Scapegoat", from the "Cave Birds" collection. I chose it at random but made sure that it sounded like Hughes. Well spotted both of you - but technically, it should be PL to post, as he got there first and neither of you were 100% sure!

[chmpman]

as he got there first
Who's "he"?

[Xamonas Chegwe]

Who's "he"?

Ooops! Forgot PL's a lady. Forgive me Madam - I slipped my nettiquette for a minute there!

[chmpman]

That's only funny because of your comment in the "Is Donne sexist" thread.

[Dirt McKert]

Who knew that Milton could sound like Dickinson! Actually, that's kind of funny because I was very close to posting one by Dickinson, but posted the Milton instead since the line "things invisible to mortal sight" has been playing in my head the last few days. It's from the intro to book three of PL.

The style of Xam's poem is really familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on who it reminds me of, and I don't think I actually know this particular poem. I'll have to give it a little thought and see if the lightbulb comes on.
it really did sound like dickinson too.
i could hear her voice behind it all :)

[chmpman]

Unnamable's was not answered.

[Dirt McKert]

Unnamable's was not answered.
:blush: woops. thought i saw the answer there...

[Petrarch's Love]

It is indeed Hughes.
Wow, I was right! :banana:

Ooops! Forgot PL's a lady. Forgive me Madam - I slipped my nettiquette for a minute there!

Well, I know academics aren't known for their great physical beauty, but I'm not usually mistaken for a man! :lol: No worries Xam. ;)


Unnamable's excerpt is from Samuel Johnson's "The Vanity of Human Wishes"


This one may be too easy, but it's been on my mind a lot lately:



The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissove,
And like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind.

[Dirt McKert]

shakespear
'the tempest'

i'm pretty sure anyhow.


if i'm right, someone guess this next one
if i'm wrong, disregard this next one:

"No rest
without love,
no sleep
without dreams
of love--
be mad or chill
obsessed with angels
or machines,
the final wish
is love
--cannot be bitter,
cannot deny,
cannot withhold
if denied:

the weight is too heavy"

[Petrarch's Love]

You're right (but can you give act and scene? :D ). I think you've stumped me with yours though.

[Dirt McKert]

an act and a scene? damn. i'd have to do some research to it.
so...no. no i can't.

[Grumbleguts]

Dirt McKert's poem is from 'Howl' by Allen Ginsberg. I believe it is called 'Song' but I will have to look it up as I could well be mistaken. However the title of the thread is 'Name that poet' and not 'Name that poem' so accordingly I claim my prize, which is to share this little gem with you all.

"I explain quietly. You
hear me shouting. You
try a new tack. I
feel old wounds reopen.

You see both sides. I
see your blinkers. I
am placatory. You
sense a new selfishness.

I am a dove. You
recognize the hawk. You
offer an olive branch. I
feel the thorns.

You bleed. I
see crocodile tears. I
withdraw. You
reel from the impact."