Who Likes Poetry? Post your favourites here....

[Melusine]

Originally posted by Lady Blue03: The translation of my sig of course By Catullus: I hate and love, and if you ask me why, I have no answer But I discern, Can feel my senses rooted in eternal torture

There's a little spelling error in your sig...

Odi et amo. Quare id faciam fortasse requiris.
Nescio, sed fieri sentio, et excrucior.

it's excrucior. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Some more Catullus, which was also used in Orff's Catulli Carmina:

miser Catulle. desinas ineptire.
et quod uides perisse perditum ducas.
fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles.
cum uentitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla.
ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant
quae tu uolebas nec puella nolebat
fulsere uere candidi tibi soles.
nunc iam illa non uult. tu quoque impotens noli
nec quae fugit sectare. nec miser uiue.
sed obstinata mente perfer. obdura.
uale puella. iam Catullus obdurat.
nec te requiret. nec rogabit inuitam.
at tu dolebis cum rogaberis nulla.
scelesta. uae te. quae tibi manet uita.
quis nunc te adibit. cui uideberis bella.
quem nunc amabis. cuius esse diceris.
quem basiabis. cui labella mordebis.
at tu Catulle desinatus obdura.

[K T Ong]

There's just a couple of things I'd like to ask you folks regarding the subject of poetry. It seems pretty common in books on poetry to come across people exclaiming just what a wonderful and divine thing poetry is supposed to be, etc etc. I have to say I honestly find this sort of language more than a little off-putting. It basically amounts to saying that, if you don't appreciate poetry (or what those eggheads consider 'great' poetry), you haven't lived. My question to you folks is: do you really think poetry can be that great -- or certain poems? So great that, if you don't read them, you haven't lived?

Take that allegedly greatest (wow) of all poems -- the Iliad of Homer. (As if you can't have great poetry outside the Western/Greek tradition -- racist enough.) Scholars of Greek classics keep saying what a supremely divine work of literature it is, but from what I've learned of it and from the portions of it I've read, I think it's just... sh*t. It's just a sick story about a bunch of homicidal maniacs charging all over the shop. (The Arthurian legends seem way more polite.) To paraphrase Brahms, 'If this is poetry, then I know nothing of poetry (and would rather know nothing).' At best, it's value for me is just anthropological -- it lets me understand the values and customs held by certain members of the human race -- that is all. Apart from that, I am very far from resonating emotionally with the contents of this 'great' poem.

Certainly, some people like the Iliad -- and I have no problem with that (though I really can't figure out why). But I do have a problem when they imply in what they say that everybody has to like it. Why must I?

[Snicker]

Poetry... umm... how about...

[johnny]

Originally posted by Snicker: Poetry... umm... how about...

COOL, now what does it mean ?

[DeSoya]

[quote]

Originally posted by Snicker: Poetry... umm... how about... [/QUOTE COOL, now what does it mean ?

It means that everyone is drinking. If I'm not mistaken that's from Orff's Carmina Burana.

Which just makes me say: Mea Mecum Ludit Verginitas.
Ah Orff.

DeSoya

[Snicker]

Originally posted by johnny: quote: Originally posted by Snicker: Poetry... umm... how about...

COOL, now what does it mean ?[/QUOTE]The mistress drinks, the master drinks,
the soldier drinks, the priest drinks,
the man drinks, the woman drinks,
the servant drinks with the maid,
the swift man drinks, the lazy man drinks,
the white man drinks, the black man drinks,
the settled man drinks, the wanderer drinks,
the stupid man drinks, the wise man drinks,

The poor man drinks, the sick man drinks,
the exile drinks, and the stranger,
the boy drinks, the old man drinks,
the bishop drinks, and the deacon,
the sister drinks, the brother drinks,
the old lady drinks, the mother drinks,
this man drinks, that man drinks,
a hundred drink, a thousand drink.

Six hundred pennies would hardly suffice, if everyone
drinks immoderately and immeasurably.
However much they cheerfully drink
we are the ones whom everyone scolds,
and thus we are destitute.
May those who slander us be cursed and may their names not be written in the book of the righteous

[johnny]

Thanks for explaining, and guess what ? I'm drinking too right now. Isn't that pure poetry ? [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[K T Ong]

Drinking what? 7-Up?

Okay, I'll have some too, please.

[johnny]

Originally posted by K T Ong: Drinking what? 7-Up? Okay, I'll have some too, please.

Come on now, you should know better than that !

[Animal]

There was a man from nantucket...What d'you mean it's not that kind of poetry?