Great column on memorizing poetry

[TheDustyZebra]

This links to the Trinidad Times, although I saw the article originally in the Telluride Daily Planet -- I can't find the link to it in their archives.


Beautiful.


Walking happily with poetic memories

 

[The Judge]

A lovely article. Thanks TDZ.

I can't recall being told to learn poetry by heart but at school as a teenager I learned quite a bit of the course poets simply so I could regurgitate quotes in the exams, as that gained one extra marks. I can still do a far bit of Gerard Manley Hopkins and John Donne and some other metaphysicals -- the Hopkins especially gets wheeled out from March onwards ("Nothing is so beautiful as Spring..."), though in snatches rather than complete poems.


PS I was wondering how you had found a West Indian newspaper at first...!

 

[chrispenycate]

Does anyone have any instructions on not learning poetry? Anything with a rhythm to it (limericks are worst, then song lyrics) gets stuck between my ears, and I am capable of suddenly regurgitating page after page of Shakespeare quotes in inappropriate circumstances…

The capacity must have a biological or at least social root, but it tends to inhibit creative originality.

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

No suggestions, Chris, but with your unique form of Bardic Tourette's you'd be a welcome sideshow, er, guest at any of my parties!