Joanna

“If my heart could do my thinking,
would my brain begin to feel?”

Of course it is.

Thanks for letting me (attempt to) be a heroine.

Joanna

Thanks for sharing such wonderful excerpts of poems. What a delight to wake up to.

Space Age Sage: Jabberwocky is one of my favourites too. Interesting you mention it re storytelling. It was included in my manual for a storytelling course I was on, and when I got it the poem stopped me dead in my tracks. It seemed to be telling my story in the uncanniest and most powerful of ways. I guess that’s how ‘nonsense’ works – it allows us to apply our own meaning.

Joe, thanks for reminding me of Dr Seuss. I didn’t get treated to them as a child so must go back and read them now. That section you’ve quoted is wonderful – very powerful, with such simple language. “Everyone sees but no one saw” – what layers of story that conveys.

Bo, that’s a favourite of mine too and thanks for quoting so much of it. The end lines are beautiful, and another invitation to dance. Or live out loud. Or be married the way we’re supposed to be. Just lovely.

Meryl, you’re right, the rhythm and flow is probably what’s working for each of these poems. That’s also what helps to emphasise the important bits (join the dance, the light of the moon). I don’t know Eldorado – another one to add to the list, thank you. The Highwayman is one I haven’t heard since school – what a great throwback – but what I remember is the feeling of danger and excitement, of darkness and thrill – which is often when what we’re searching for as children (and adults too, even if we pretend otherwise)

Joanna

I also love Poe’s “Eldorado” and still have it memorized after all these years.

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

“The Highwayman” is a depressing poem, but I loved repeating the first part:

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar…

Edward Lear wrote The Owl and the Pussycat in 1871! I just looked it up and was amazed it is that old. Of course he does use words like quince and runcible,

my favorite is the ending…

“They danced by the light of the moon,
the moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.”