Happy Birthday A E Housman!

Happy Belated Birthday Sir Walter Scott!

August 15th was  the birthday of Scottish poet, writer and playwright  (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832). Scott was a 1st Baronet who wrote poems and historical novels.  He has the distinction in being the first english language author to achieve international fame in his own lifetime.  Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and the Lady of the Lake still remain

Happy Birthday Emily Bronte!

Today is the birthday of writer and poet Emily Bronte (b.1818 – 1848 Thornton Yorkshire).  She was the fifth child of Patrick Branwell and Maria  Branwell, parents of the famous Bronte’s of Haworth Yorkshire.  Emily wrote poetry and one novel ‘Wuthering Heights‘ before she died in 1848 after catching cold at her brother Branwell’s funeral, refusing all

Happy Birthday William Butler Yeats!

Today is the birthday of the Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats (b. 1865 – 1939).  He was the brother of the artist Jack Butler Yeats (see my post on him over at echostains) Dublin born and educated, the poet spent his childhood in Sligo.  Yeats was to become a real driving force behind the Irish Literacy

Happy Birthday Edward Lear! Plus Poetry Challenge ‘Stuff and Nonsense’ Limerick

Today is the birthday of English poet, artist and  illustrator Edward Lear (1812 – 1888).  He is is most famous for his limericks which became very popular and his literary nonsense writing.  Among other poems ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ is probably one of his more famous.  He started his working life as an artist and illustrator and in

Happy Birthday Henry Wadsworth Longfellow!

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 England

Happy Birthday Lewis Carroll!

Today is the birthday of children’s author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson or Lewis Carroll as he is better known by his pen name.   Lewis Carroll was born  January 27, 1832 Daresbury Cheshire England – January 14, 1898.  As well as being an author, Carroll was also a poet, mathematician, (he was a mathematical lecturer at Oxford University) photographer and an Anglican Deacon. 

‘Happy Birthday Robert Burns!’ and Poetry Challenge

Yes it’s Burns night!  Another opportunity to celebrate the life of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns b.25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796.  He is known by many names from  The Bard of Ayrshire to the ploughman’s poet.  He is especially famous for writing in the Scots language, though he has also written in a lighter more accessible one.  His