March 31, 2011 at 9:27 am
Here lies the body of this world, Whose soul alas to hell is hurled. This golden youth long since was past, Its silver manhood went as fast, An iron age drew on at last; ‘Tis vain its character to tell, The several fates which it befell, What year it died, when ’twill arise, We only […]
February 28, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Energy is an eternal delight, and he who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence. — William Blake, “The Fly.” Fun Fact: Esperanza Spalding put out a song based on this poem.
February 22, 2011 at 6:15 pm
All members of the Core community are invited to attend “Poetry’s Closer Contact,” a reading of poems across the ages by friends and faculty of the Core Curriculum. The readers in this year’s line-up, as arranged by Prof. Formichelli, are: Zachary Bos Alex Effgen Jennifer Formichelli Daniel Hudon George Kalogeris Marcia Karp Stephanie Nelson Christopher […]
February 22, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Wisdom and Spirit of the universe! Thou Soul, that art the Eternity of thought! And giv’st to forms and images a breath And everlasting motion! not in vain, By day or star-light, thus from my first dawn Of childhood didst thou intertwine for me The passions that build up our human soul; Not with the […]
February 18, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Is there, for honest poverty, That hangs his head, and a’ that? The coward-slave, we pass him by, We dare be poor for a’ that! For a’ that, and a’ that, Our toils obscure, and a’ that; The rank is but the guinea-stamp, The man ‘s the gowd for a’ that! What tho’ on hamely […]
February 17, 2011 at 12:39 pm
O Earth O Earth return! Arise from out the dewy grass; Night is worn, And the mourn Rises from the slumberous mass. – from “Introduction” to Songs of Experience by William Blake, whose poetry among others’ will be considered by Prof. Christopher Ricks in a lecture next Tuesday for the students of CC202
February 9, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Day was departing, and the darkening air Called all earth’s creatures to their evening quiet While I alone was preparing as though for war To struggle with my journey and with the spirit Of pity, which flawless memory will redraw: O Muses, O genius of art, O memory whose merit Has inscribed inwardly those things […]
November 23, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Prof. Christopher Ricks lectured today for the students of CC201, on the subject of the John Milton. He is the author of Milton’s Grand Style (Oxford University Press, 1978). In the spring semester, he often lectures on the English Romantic poets. Students, with their Kerberos password, can access his packet of selected readings here. Today’s […]
October 6, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Each year, the Core students begin their study of the Humanities with the epic of Gilgamesh, in a version translated by the poet David Ferry. This Thursday, October 7, Prof. Ferry will be giving a reading of his work, at an event sponsored by the the Poetry Reading Series at BU. All are welcome to […]
