Just discovered your channel for the first time. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see someone as cultured in poetry, pipe smoking, and good books as you are, especially in this cultureless time we live in now. This is my new favorite TH-cam channel period!
I was listening to Iron Maiden all night and after hearing The Rime of the Ancient Mariner thought I would turn to you for some more Coleridge. Of course you did not disappoint. Thank you for sparking my interest in poetry. I'm still completely lost when it comes to Keats and Shakespeare, almost as lost with Yeats. However, Tennyson, Donne, Coleridge, Tolkien's alliterative Anglo-Saxon - now that stuff is making sense! You've even got me interested in your slim volumes. Heaney's 'Scaffolding' was so crystal clear I had to write it our and read it to my wife, and I found his translation of Beowulf at the library and it was the first time I ever understood the poem. Maybe I can even swallow some of the Dylan Thomas. Trying at least. Now your channel has led me to other poets and I was reacquainted with the almost only poem that meant anything to me from high school - Frost's 'The Road Not Taken'. Would you please read this provide your thoughts?
some years later, Coleridge recounted his meeting with Keats that you described, and said upon shaking Keats hand something to the effect: "There was death in that hand. "
I have just ordered your book "Mariner". Hope to get it in a couple of weeks. Here in South Africa things take a bit longer. Please tell us more about your tobacco and pipes. Regards
My understanding is that Coleridge lived in Highgate with James Gillman from 1816 and at the time Keat's met him on Hampstead Heath Coleridge was walking with a mutual friend Joseph Green, a surgeon who had taught Keats at Guys. What is puzzling to me is that despite their geographical proximity and Keats obvious delight and inspiration from this brief meeting , he did not try and meet Coleridge again. Any thoughts Malcolm?
@@MalcolmGuitespell I think you are almost certainly right, a shame though as it might have been as salutary for Coleridge as inspiring for Keats. Strangely Keats did not seem to be intimidated by Wordsworth despite the dismissal of Endymion as 'a pretty piece of paganism' at Haydon's dinner in 1817, Keats went on to meet him several times afterward and dined with his family in January 1818.
Thank you for the reading. I regularly teach "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" and always enjoy it. What is your take on the sincerity of the fairy's love? Does she "love [him] true" or does the "as" of line 19 have sort of an "as if" quality?
Thank you for your insightful reply. It calls to mind Arwen’s sadness over the inevitability of her outliving Aragorn. The love is true but doomed to sorrow.
Did you fill your bowl with Bombay Court? As good as the Old Toby! The connection/synergy amongst authors is very interesting. Going to have to dust off my copy of Coleridge!
My daughter and I are reading "Phantastes" by George MacDonald and this poem reminded me of Anodos being deceived by the Maid of the Alder Tree. Was MacDonald influenced by Keats at all or is this simply a recurring theme in the history of humanity?
Just discovered your channel for the first time. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see someone as cultured in poetry, pipe smoking, and good books as you are, especially in this cultureless time we live in now. This is my new favorite TH-cam channel period!
Thanks for the encouragement
I was listening to Iron Maiden all night and after hearing The Rime of the Ancient Mariner thought I would turn to you for some more Coleridge. Of course you did not disappoint. Thank you for sparking my interest in poetry. I'm still completely lost when it comes to Keats and Shakespeare, almost as lost with Yeats. However, Tennyson, Donne, Coleridge, Tolkien's alliterative Anglo-Saxon - now that stuff is making sense! You've even got me interested in your slim volumes. Heaney's 'Scaffolding' was so crystal clear I had to write it our and read it to my wife, and I found his translation of Beowulf at the library and it was the first time I ever understood the poem. Maybe I can even swallow some of the Dylan Thomas. Trying at least. Now your channel has led me to other poets and I was reacquainted with the almost only poem that meant anything to me from high school - Frost's 'The Road Not Taken'. Would you please read this provide your thoughts?
A very beautiful poem.
some years later, Coleridge recounted his meeting with Keats that you described,
and said upon shaking Keats hand something to the effect: "There was death in that hand. "
I have goosebumps hearing this luminous reading
Fascinating... thanks for sharing. Grazie 🙏 S.
Glad you enjoyed it
@@MalcolmGuitespell I enjoy all of your poetry videos as I am sure many of your views do. Especially your own poetry. Take care, S.
That Keats poem is so beautiful
it is indeed!
Wondrous stuff! Thank you for your thoughts, and for sharing.
Thanks for listening
The fruit of that memorable walk on the Heath...wonderful.
indeed. I only wish I could have been there. Writing about it in my book was as close as I could get!
I have just ordered your book "Mariner". Hope to get it in a couple of weeks. Here in South Africa things take a bit longer. Please tell us more about your tobacco and pipes. Regards
my latest post is on my tobacco and pipes!
My understanding is that Coleridge lived in Highgate with James Gillman from 1816 and at the time Keat's met him on Hampstead Heath Coleridge was walking with a mutual friend Joseph Green, a surgeon who had taught Keats at Guys. What is puzzling to me is that despite their geographical proximity and Keats obvious delight and inspiration from this brief meeting , he did not try and meet Coleridge again. Any thoughts Malcolm?
I think he was in awe of him and didn't want to presume
@@MalcolmGuitespell I think you are almost certainly right, a shame though as it might have been as salutary for Coleridge as inspiring for Keats. Strangely Keats did not seem to be intimidated by Wordsworth despite the dismissal of Endymion as 'a pretty piece of paganism' at Haydon's dinner in 1817, Keats went on to meet him several times afterward and dined with his family in January 1818.
Good story!
Merci bien!
Thank you for the reading. I regularly teach "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" and always enjoy it. What is your take on the sincerity of the fairy's love? Does she "love [him] true" or does the "as" of line 19 have sort of an "as if" quality?
indeed. And is it part of a wider narrative where women are temptresses ?
I think she 'loves him true' in her own 'faery' terms, but such love is inevitably destructive of human beings - we're not made for it
Thank you for your insightful reply. It calls to mind Arwen’s sadness over the inevitability of her outliving Aragorn. The love is true but doomed to sorrow.
Did you fill your bowl with Bombay Court? As good as the Old Toby! The connection/synergy amongst authors is very interesting. Going to have to dust off my copy of Coleridge!
yes indeed!
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is great.
My daughter and I are reading "Phantastes" by George MacDonald and this poem reminded me of Anodos being deceived by the Maid of the Alder Tree. Was MacDonald influenced by Keats at all or is this simply a recurring theme in the history of humanity?
Its a recurring theme, though MacDonald did like Keats!
Interface and juxta pose ,,,Illumination!
Lucy by Shakespeare please Malcolm @MalcolmGuitespell