tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post6478364785762292917..comments2024-03-23T20:37:37.891-07:00Comments on First Known When Lost: "Old Couple In A Bar"Stephen Pentzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-13057664754077600932012-03-26T14:14:21.209-07:002012-03-26T14:14:21.209-07:00Chris: thanks for sharing the anecdote, discouragi...Chris: thanks for sharing the anecdote, discouraging though it is. (I agree with you that MacCaig's poem is not necessarily demanding -- although Daphnis and Chloe may be a stretch. But, in comparison with a great deal of modern poetry, it is, as you know, direct and plain-spoken.) <br /><br />Which leads me to thanking you as well for your very kind words about what I do. I began doing this -- and still do this -- as a labor of love: to share what I love (if that is not too strong a word) with others, in the hope that they may find something they like. <br /><br />That sort of goal may sound naive (and/or pretentious!), but since we live in a semi-Dark Age when it comes to culture, any tiny effort (such as this) seems worthwhile. I guess we all do what we can. I envy you for having a greater opportunity (given your profession) to preserve these sorts of things for the future.<br /><br />As always, thank you very much for visiting, and for your thoughts.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-43236721484175192242012-03-26T08:31:41.278-07:002012-03-26T08:31:41.278-07:00Stephen -- I thought I would share a quick and rat...Stephen -- I thought I would share a quick and rather disturbing (at least when it comes to poetry's place in our modern world)story.I was so smitten with this poem that I posted it, in its entirety, on Facebook, thinking primarily of sharing it with my former lit. students. To my surprise, a friend from high school, who is now a physician, reacted with, "Can you tell me what this means, in English?" I think we can all agree that this poem is immediately (and affectively)accessible, in terms of language(maybe a little challenging in terms of the allusions -- maybe). For an "educated" man to have such a reaction to it makes me worry -- both as a writer and as a teacher -- about the state of things. Yet another reason why the world needs wonderful sites like yours. Keep'em (as they say) comin'.Chris Matarazzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17885109959459471509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-9027708053929838712012-03-23T12:06:45.349-07:002012-03-23T12:06:45.349-07:00Kerridwen: I'm glad that you like the painting...Kerridwen: I'm glad that you like the paintings by Palmer -- he had a vision that is apparent in each of his works. Thank you for stopping by again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-61341474955331174902012-03-23T04:21:13.053-07:002012-03-23T04:21:13.053-07:00These paintings are fantastic!These paintings are fantastic!Kerridwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07114162167451828767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-66157784731012994442012-03-22T06:19:11.996-07:002012-03-22T06:19:11.996-07:00acornmoon: well said -- the sort of companionship ...acornmoon: well said -- the sort of companionship that you describe is indeed important, and often undervalued.<br /><br />I'm pleased to hear that you like Samuel Palmer. However, I'm afraid that I'm not qualified to curate anything but this blog! However, I certainly appreciate your kind words -- and I'm always happy to find that my enthusiasms are shared by others.<br /><br />Thank you for stopping by again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-68507071857799882212012-03-21T11:49:56.267-07:002012-03-21T11:49:56.267-07:00There is a companionship in silence sometimes, hav...There is a companionship in silence sometimes, having somebody to do nothing with is sometimes more important than having lots of people to do something with.<br /><br />Samuel Palmer is near perfection. You should curate your own art exhibition, you have great taste.Acornmoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14982884920388966786noreply@blogger.com