Today is the birthday of American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow born 1807 Portland, Maine USA. Longfellow’s roots lie originally in Yorkshire England. The Longfellow’s arrived in America in 1676. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a scholar and linguist, he travelled through many countries to learn about its people. He was a professor of Bowdoin, contributed travel sketches to the New EnglandContinue reading “Happy Birthday Henry Wadsworth Longfellow!”
Monthly Archives: February 2011
Dear Reader I Read it Book Review ‘Branwell Bronte’s Barber’s tale’ by Chris Firth’
Well I have just finished ‘Branwell Bronte”s Barbers Tale by Chris Firth. It has taken me ages too. It’s not a particularly thick book but I have been reading it before I go to sleep and eking it out. I really enjoyed this tale of intrigue, mystery and supposition. The authors description of the barbersContinue reading “Dear Reader I Read it Book Review ‘Branwell Bronte’s Barber’s tale’ by Chris Firth’”
Watched ‘The Black Swan’
Directed by Darren Aronofsky’s and starring Natalie Portman the Black Swan is a kind of modern-day fairytale (more Brothers Grimm). It is advisable to suspend all belief all who enter into the film and just sit back and enjoy. Henpecked Nina, a delicate flower in a hothouse of casting couches and farfetched scenarios, pirouettes between fantasy, reality andContinue reading “Watched ‘The Black Swan’”
Poetry Challenge ‘American Gothic’
‘It’s American Regionalist artist Grant Wood‘s birthday today and it’s being celebrated over on Echostains! American Gothic is one of the most iconic painting in the USA. Much has been written about this painting, but in some ways it remains an enigma. To read about the artist Grant Wood please see my correspondingContinue reading “Poetry Challenge ‘American Gothic’”
Watched ‘Carrington’ DVD
I rewatched Carrington the other night on DVD. I had watched it ages ago, but for some reason or other just wanted to see it again. The film is about the artist Dora Carrington‘s relationship with the writer Lytton Strachey. As a painter Carrington was quite selective in her subject matter, painting her immediate background andContinue reading “Watched ‘Carrington’ DVD”
Poem ‘I could sit in a chair all day’
Here’s another of my ‘experimental’ poems. Definitely more of a performance piece than static (see the irony) poem. I wrote this the other day, funnily enough as I was sat in a chair 🙂 I was thinking about all the stuff that I really should be doing and thinking to myself “well, it’s no goodContinue reading “Poem ‘I could sit in a chair all day’”
Bookstains 