I'm not a poet, and I know it...

[rochvelleth]

Recommend me a poem.

Or hey, if you're feeling generous and inspired, write me a poem :)

In return, I give you one of my favourites: To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell:

Had we but world enough, and time,

Comments

[rochvelleth]

P.S. If you want to know why I love 'To His Coy Mistress', well...

- It reminds me of Latin love poetry, in the sense that it usually involves a man trying to get a woman to have sex with him, now.

- The turn of phrase is lovely. Not just 'My vegetable love should grow' ;) - the rest of it too!

- The last two lines are perfect - and so are the first two.

- I adore Marvell, and metaphysical poetry generally.

- It rhymes!

- I have fond memories of doing it at school in (IIRC) fourth year, which was very embarrassing!

- I have this bit of fanfic in my head at the moment for which it's oddly appropriate but also tragic.

[pjc50]

John Donne is also fantastic at love poetry in the same urgent vein :)

[rochvelleth]

:) Ah, yes, that reminds me - we did The Flea at school around the same time we did To His Coy Mistress. Very similar in vein :)

[the_lady_lily]

Since I posted it recently anyway, have Tea by Carol Ann Duffy. I thoroughly recommend Rapture, which is the collection it comes from.

[rochvelleth]

Thank you!

That's a very nice poem. Especially in the ways it's not about tea, if you know what I mean. It reminds me of something but I can't immediately think what...

[jpgr]

Hm, asking an English Major about poetry...

Off the top of my head, this is one I liked as a kid as my sister got me into it. In Just by ee cummings

This I just remember so vividly from collegeThe Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson

Oh, and I love this one and even more since seeing Anne of Green Gables :) The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

[rochvelleth]

Sorry for the delay, and thank you for these! :D

I like the ee cummings one - I've always wanted to read his stuff and never got round to it. I like the idea of playing with poems visually.

Haven't read Hound of Heaven yet (want to set aside enough time to digest), but it turns out I recognise The Highwayman - my Mum has recited bits of it to me. Very nice, and nice rhythm.

Yay :)