"Sonnet XVII. Happy Is England" by John Keats

 

Sonnet XVII. Happy Is England

Happy is England! I could be content

To see no other verdure than its own;

To feel no other breezes than are blown

Through its tall woods with high romances blent:

Yet do I sometimes feel a languishment

For skies Italian, and an inward groan

To sit upon an Alp as on a throne,

And half forget what world or worldling meant.

Happy is England, sweet her artless daughters;

Enough their simple loveliness for me,

Enough their whitest arms in silence clinging:

Yet do I often warmly burn to see

Beauties of deeper glance, and hear their singing,

And float with them about the summer waters. 

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/209lchgjQT0

who wrote the poem "Happy Is England"?

John Keats (October 31, 1795 – February 23, 1821)

 

John Keats was one of the leading figures of the second generation of Romantic poets, alongside Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. John Keats was not born into wealth. After the death of his parents, he was left with a guardian who mismanaged his inheritance. He initially pursued a career in medicine but abandoned it to focus on poetry, not a lucrative career. He endured personal tragedies with the early deaths of his parents, the loss of his brother to tuberculosis, and his own battle with the disease, compounded by a tumultuous relationship with Fanny Brawne. These challenges deeply influenced his poetic themes of mortality, love, and transience. Keats' career was brief, spanning only six years. However, his poetic style, characterized by sensual imagery and emotional intensity, has inspired countless writers and poets throughout history.

"Happy Is England" explanation

 

The speaker expresses his love for England and its natural beauty. He admires England's woods, breezes, and artless daughters. However, he also yearns for the allure of Italy and its deeper beauties. The Alp represents a desire for elevation and escape from worldly concerns. The poem captures the tension between contentment and wanderlust. Keats' yearning for Italy became a reality when he traveled there, though his health deteriorated during his stay.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox's 'Solitude': A Masterpiece Unveiled!

 "Solitude" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

 

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone;

For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,

But has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer;

Sigh, it is lost on the air;

The echoes bound to a joyful sound,

But shrink from voicing care.

 

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go;

They want full measure of all your pleasure,

But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many;

Be sad, and you lose them all,—

There are none to decline your nectared wine,

But alone you must drink life’s gall.

 

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

Fast, and the world goes by.

Succeed and give, and it helps you live,

But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure

For a large and lordly train,

But one by one we must all file on

Through the narrow aisles of pain.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/J--GfdhIPRs

Who wrote the poem "Solitude"?

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (November 5, 1850 – October 30, 1919)

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. She began writing poetry at a very young age, and by the time she was a teenager, her work was being published in the New York Mercury. Her most famous collection, "Poems of Passion," was published in 1883 and included the well-known poem "Solitude." Throughout her career, Wilcox was known for her sentimental and moralistic verses, which often explored themes of love, passion, and human emotion. 

 'Solitude' explanation

"Solitude" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox explores human nature and the paradox of social interaction. The poem suggests that people are drawn towards happiness and joy, and tend to avoid or abandon those who are in sorrow or pain. It emphasizes the inherent solitude that accompanies suffering, as people must often face their troubles alone. Wilcox's poem reveals the dichotomy between shared joys and solitary sorrows in the human condition. The poem was reportedly written in response to an encounter Wilcox had with a grieving widow during a train ride. The widow's profound loneliness and despair inspired Wilcox to pen "Solitude."

"A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky" by Lewis Carroll

 

A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky

A boat beneath a sunny sky,

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July —

 

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Pleased a simple tale to hear —

 

Long has paled that sunny sky:

Echoes fade and memories die:

Autumn frosts have slain July.

 

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.

 

Children yet, the tale to hear,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Lovingly shall nestle near.

 

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die:

 

Ever drifting down the stream —

Lingering in the golden gleam —

Life, what is it but a dream?

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video 👇

https://youtu.be/hqyw9XVrYdM

Who wrote the poem ""A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky"?

Lewis Carroll (January 27, 1832 – January 14, 1898)

Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was born in Daresbury, Cheshire, England. He was a mathematician, logician, and Anglican deacon, but is best known for his work as a writer, particularly for his children's books. Carroll's most famous works are "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel "Through the Looking-Glass," which have become classics of English literature. These works are renowned for their imaginative content, word play, and the mathematical and logical puzzles woven into the narrative. In addition to his prose, Carroll also penned numerous poems, including the well-known "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky," which showcase his unique blend of whimsy, wit, and linguistic inventiveness. Carroll’s works continue to be widely read to this day and have influenced a broad range of literature and popular culture.

"A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky" explanation

"A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky" is a poignant poem by Lewis Carroll that is often seen as a reflection on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of childhood. It is also an acrostic poem, with the first letter of each line spelling out the name "Alice Pleasance Liddell," the real-life inspiration for Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

"The Solitary Reaper" by William Wordsworth

 

The Solitary Reaper

Behold her, single in the field,

Yon solitary Highland Lass!

Reaping and singing by herself;

Stop here, or gently pass!

Alone she cuts and binds the grain,

And sings a melancholy strain;

O listen! for the Vale profound

Is overflowing with the sound.

 

No Nightingale did ever chaunt

More welcome notes to weary bands

Of travellers in some shady haunt,

Among Arabian sands:

A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard

In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,

Breaking the silence of the seas

Among the farthest Hebrides.

 

Will no one tell me what she sings?—

Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow

For old, unhappy, far-off things,

And battles long ago:

Or is it some more humble lay,

Familiar matter of to-day?

Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,

That has been, and may be again?

 

Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang

As if her song could have no ending;

I saw her singing at her work,

And o'er the sickle bending;—

I listened, motionless and still;

And, as I mounted up the hill,

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/ywH_UscbAb0

Who wrote the poem "To the Skylark"?

William Wordsworth  (April 7, 1770 – April 23, 1850)

William Wordsworth was an English poet who pioneered the Romantic Movement with his close friend and fellow poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He famously defined poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” Using the ordinary language “really used by men,” he wrote beautiful poetry with sweet imagery, often based around the natural world. He suffered from depression, which was reflected in somber undertones in his poems. He was the Poet Laureate for Queen Victoria from 1843 until his death from pleurisy in 1850.

"The Solitary Reaper" explanation

The poem made its first appearance in 1807 as part of Wordsworth's compilation titled "Poems in Two Volumes." The inspiration behind this poem can be traced back to an actual event that Wordsworth encountered during his travels through the Scottish Highlands in 1803.

While journeying, Wordsworth stumbled upon a young Highland girl who was working in the fields and singing a song in Gaelic. The song was melancholic and had a haunting quality to it. Wordsworth was deeply moved by the beauty and emotional depth of her song, which led him to immortalize the moment in his poem.

"The Solitary Reaper" delves into themes such as nature, music, and the evocative power of the human voice. It reflects Wordsworth's conviction in the transformative essence of nature and the capacity of simple, everyday experiences to forge connections to a deeper sense of beauty and spirituality.

"Back Yard" by Carl Sandburg

 

Back Yard

Shine on, O moon of summer.

Shine to the leaves of grass, catalpa and oak,

All silver under your rain to-night.

An Italian boy is sending songs to you to-night from an accordion.

A Polish boy is out with his best girl; they marry next month;

to-night they are throwing you kisses.

An old man next door is dreaming over a sheen that sits in a

cherry tree in his back yard.

The clocks say I must go—I stay here sitting on the back porch drinking

white thoughts you rain down.

Shine on, O moon,

Shake out more and more silver changes.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

                                                    poem video👇

https://youtu.be/8SSmXseTL5E

Who wrote the poem "Who Am I?"

Carl Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967)

 

Carl Sandburg was an American poet, biographer, novelist, journalist, and folklorist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes (two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln). He has often been compared to Walt Whitman for his use of free verse and admiration of the working class.

 "Back Yard" explanation

"Back Yard" by Carl Sandburg is a beautiful reflection on the simple pleasures of everyday life. In the poem, Sandburg captures the serene beauty of a summer evening in a back yard, using vivid and sensory imagery to bring the scene to life. It can be interpreted as a celebration of the beauty in everyday moments and an encouragement to slow down, observe, and appreciate the simple and often overlooked aspects of life.

"For Once, Then, Something" by Robert Frost

For Once, Then, Something

Others taunt me with having knelt at well-curbs

Always wrong to the light, so never seeing

Deeper down in the well than where the water

Gives me back in a shining surface picture

Me myself in the summer heaven godlike

Looking out of a wreath of fern and cloud puffs.

Once, when trying with chin against a well-curb,

I discerned, as I thought, beyond the picture,

Through the picture, a something white, uncertain,

Something more of the depths—and then I lost it.

Water came to rebuke the too clear water.

One drop fell from a fern, and lo, a ripple

Shook whatever it was lay there at bottom,

Blurred it, blotted it out. What was that whiteness?

Truth? A pebble of quartz? For once, then, something.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/benq7D7jYJU

Who wrote the poem "Dust of Snow"?

Robert Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963)

Robert Frost was an American poet who was born in San Francisco, California. Frost’s life was marked by grief and loss. When he was 11, his father died of tuberculosis, leaving just eight dollars. Frost’s mother died of cancer when he was 26. Mental illness ran in his family. He and his mother suffered from depression, and his sister and his daughter were committed to mental hospitals. Using realistic depictions of rural life, his poems often examined complex social and philosophical themes. Frost’s first book was published at the age of 40, but he ended up winning four Pulitzer Prizes for poetry and becoming the most famous poet of his time.

"For Once, Then, Something" explanation

In the poem, the poet grapples with his personal exploration and the questioning of the limits of human perception. Looking into a well, the speaker tries to see his reflection. This can symbolize the poet's attempt to deeply understand an object. However, being on the wrong side, he can't see into the well properly, which may symbolize the difficulties we face when trying to understand something beyond our perception. At one point though he saw something more. This could symbolize the truth itself or merely emphasize the importance of personal understanding rather than seeking truth itself. This poem is another example of Frost’s exploration of human life and understanding, and their limits through the lens of nature.

Speech: “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” BY William Shakespeare (from Macbeth, spoken by Macbeth)

 

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow”

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

 

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/NbMvStsBi-4

Who wrote the poem "A Madrigal"?

William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616)

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor of the Renaissance era. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon." Few public records remain about his private life, causing speculations about his physical appearances, sexuality, religious beliefs and the authorship of some of his works. His works demonstrate a wide range of human emotions and conflicts, touching so many people's minds throughout the world for over 400 years.

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow”

This speech is a soliloquy delivered by Macbeth in Shakespeare’s famous play “Macbeth.” Upon hearing about his wife’s death, Macbeth deplores the meaninglessness and futility of life.

"Sonnet – To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe

 

Sonnet – To Science

Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!

Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.

Why preyest thou thus upon the poet’s heart,

Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?

How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,

Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering

To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,

Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?

Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car,

And driven the Hamadryad from the wood

To seek a shelter in some happier star?

Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,

The Elfin from the green grass, and from me

The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/tcpgRSQetj4

Who wrote the poem "Sonnet – To Science"?

Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849)

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. He is best known for his poetry as a central figure of Romanticism in the US and short stories as an important contributor in such emerging genres as mystery, detective fiction, and science fiction. He was also the first well-known professional writer, unfortunately resulting in a financially difficult career. Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1809, but his father abandoned the family in 1810, and his mother died the following year. He was raised as a foster child by John and Francis Allan in Virginia. His academic excellence was marred by his bad habits, and he had to leave the University of Virginia when his foster father refused to pay his gambling debts. In 1827, Poe joined the US Army and published his first collection of poems. Later he quit his military career, changed his focus to prose, and became editors of literary journals. In 1836, he married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. After she died of tuberculosis in 1847, Poe’s depression and alcoholism got worse. Although he died in 1849 at age 40, the cause of his death is unknown and still controversial among disease, alcoholism, substance abuse, suicide, and others.

"Sonnet – To Science" explanation

The speaker condemns science for the damage it caused by revealing scientific truths behind artistic and mythical imagination.