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Lyrics and Lines at Austin.BloggersPub

Archive for the 'Lyrics and Lines' Category



Hopkins, High and Low

Two of my favorites from Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889). The first exults in God, the other complains to God. The first could be Psalm 8 and the second could be Psalm 88. The first below was among his first written (in 1877) while the last below was…

I was introduced to Billy Collins’ poetry with this one, and it remains my favorite.  Here’s "Walking Across the Atlantic"– I wait for the holiday crowd to clear the beach before stepping onto the first wave. Soon I am walking…

Billy Collins Favorites 4: Forgetfulness

I’m getting to where I can identify with this one more and more.  Here’s "Forgetfulness"– The name of the author is the first to go followed obediently by the title, the plot, the heartbreaking conclusion, the entire novel …

Billy Collins Favorites 3: Thesaurus

Another favorite while listening on my iPod on the flight back from Zambia: "Thesaurus"– It could be the name of a prehistoric beast that roamed the Paleozoic earth, rising up on its hind legs to show off its large vocabulary, …

Billy Collins Favorites 2: Child Development

Another favorite: As sure as prehistoric fish grew legs and sauntered off the beaches into forests working up some irregular verbs for their first conversation, so three-year-old children enter the phase of name-calling. Every day a …

Billy Collins Favorites 1: Aristotle

I listened to Billy Collins reading his poetry on my long flight back stateside. I’ll post a few favorites. Of course, its better if you can hear him read them aloud, but the next few posts will give you an introduction. Here’s “Aristotle”–Th…

“I pray I may be ready with my witness”

Germanicus leapt upon the wild lion in Smyrna,wishing to pass quickly from a lawless life.The crowd shook the stadium.The proconsul marveled. ‘Eighty & six years have I been his servant,and he has done me no harm.How can I blaspheme my King …