In a long conversation with grandpa yesterday, I mentioned that I was planning to memorize 100 poems in the next year and that I was in the process of selecting poems, verses. I was going to add that I intended to learn a few Thamizh ones as well. However, the moment I had said poems, grandpa jumped up with his much expected suggestion of Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. He then offered a few more, of which Goethe's Faust is something I might consider (a fragment of course).
My list has 15 selections at the moment. The idea is to choose those that appeal to me rather than to memorize all the popular ones. I am also keen on acquainting myself with the twentieth century poets. I might also cheat by adding a few that I memorized earlier but am a little shaky at remembering now.
One surprising bonus of this project is that my husband is mighty impressed with my efforts at selection and appears convinced that I am onto a very interesting thing. Given that compliments are scarce in my household, I must admit to behaving like a rosy-cheeked kid ever since I noticed the husband's approval. So that's that. If you happen to have poetry recommendations in both English and Thamizh, I'd appreciate you letting me know. Thanks.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
Brook - Lord Tennyson
u know i wud love to join,how abt
starting off with the complete kural --thiruvallavar
pardon spellos
Hey Manjunath - Brook is a nice choice. I shall use it in my cheat list (I remember most of it but still need to brush up, so it does count!)
Uber - huh? are you saying you are willing to memorize all 1330 in the next year? Wow! I'd say picking 300 off the kurals and memorizing them is more realistic. Here's a link as well. What say?
How about the solitary reaper?
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
"Stopping by woods on a snowy evening" - Robert Frost
"The Road Not Taken" - Robert Frost
"Daffodils" - William Wordsworth
Hey lady raji
I remember all three.
Won't it be too much of cheating to include the only poems one actually remembers by heart?
How about the Indian poets in English - Kolatkar, Ezekiel,etc. In Tamil - Bharathiar first and foremost.
Chenthil, Indian poets in English is a good idea. Could you also recommend verses that you liked in that category? And Bharathiar kavidhaigal certainly. Was going to apply to you to help me choose (I shall dip into a spark of fire choices for starters)
anything by A.K.Ramanujam
Post a Comment