The Catbird's Song: Prose Pieces, 1963-1995The Catbird's Song is a selection of prose pieces, on a variety of topics, by one of the most distinguished poets and translators of our times, Richard Wilbur. These lectures, letters, reviews, addresses, prefaces, and interviews-what Wilbur calls the "prose by-products of a poet's life"-not only reveal the ideas and concerns that inform his remarkable oeuvre but also offer fresh takes on the works and lives of poets we thought we knew, poets we ought to know, and much more. Here, then, are his appreciations of Poe, Milton, Tennyson, and Longfellow; paeans to his contemporaries Elizabeth Bishop, Mae Swenson, and John Ciardi; an introduction to the work of the neglected poet Witter Bynner; his comments on some of his own poems; and thoughts on the art of translation. Throughout all, Wilbur's voice resonates with clarity, reason, and authority. |
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Page 39
... hear twice . A riddle , however , is a poem , not a mere verbal trick , and one might wish to hear a good one many times , even if one knows the answer . Take this old folk riddle , for example : As I was walking down the lane , Out of ...
... hear twice . A riddle , however , is a poem , not a mere verbal trick , and one might wish to hear a good one many times , even if one knows the answer . Take this old folk riddle , for example : As I was walking down the lane , Out of ...
Page 63
... hear poetry but also to hear about it in endless symposia . John Ciardi was a part of all this , as was I ; and for several summers , furthermore , we lectured about poetry on alternate days at the Bread Loaf Writers ' Conference in ...
... hear poetry but also to hear about it in endless symposia . John Ciardi was a part of all this , as was I ; and for several summers , furthermore , we lectured about poetry on alternate days at the Bread Loaf Writers ' Conference in ...
Page 146
... hear quantity with some assurance . Still , because the Japanese register syllables more readily than we , many English haiku rhyme the first and third lines for the sake of greater definition . I chose to rhyme in that manner ( or ...
... hear quantity with some assurance . Still , because the Japanese register syllables more readily than we , many English haiku rhyme the first and third lines for the sake of greater definition . I chose to rhyme in that manner ( or ...
Contents
Poe and the Art of Suggestion | 7 |
Longfellow | 26 |
The Persistence of Riddles | 32 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
American answer appear asked beauty become begins bird Bynner called clear close continually course critic dark death described dream Earth effect Eleonora English enigma example experience expression fact feel figure final give given hand hear heart heaven human idea imaginative John kind knowledge language later leaves less letter light lines living look lyric matter mean memory mind nature never notes object once passion perhaps plays pleasure Poe's poem poet poet's poetic poetry possible present questions reader reason rhyme riddle seems seen sense Song sort soul sound speaks spirit story suggestion sure tells things thought translation trees turn Ulysses verse voice whole wish writing written wrote