Libby Stott's Blog - Posts Tagged "dancing"
March 20
Tomorrow, March 20th, is a momentous day for many reasons (and "Dancing" celebrates some of these).
Roman gods, the Christian god, and the life force itself--via spring--are all evoked on this day. No wonder that a person "lightly turns to thoughts of love," a la Tennyson, during this season.
The 20th is the birthday of the poet Ovid, a Roman poet who got in hot water for his racy poetry and who was exiled to what is now Romania. He is known for his "Art of Love" and his "Metamorphoses," among other works.
(For allusions to Ovid in "Dancing," see the poems "Metamorphoses" and "Conversing," and of course the many transformations and gods depicted in the work.)
This year, the 20th is Palm Sunday, when Jesus was welcomed by the people as he rode a donkey into Jerusalem, a week before his resurrection on Easter morning.
(See "Epiphany," "Lent.")
The 20th is also the first full day of spring and thus evocative of rebirth, new life, and romance across cultures in the northern hemisphere.
(See "In the Bright Wood," "Winter Maying," "No More Young Foolishness," "Heralds," "Weeding," "Brighid Urges," "Elegy and Alleluia," "Felix culpa," "Easter Vigil," "Oklahoma Real," and "Offstage.")
May your spring be filled with love and wonder!
Roman gods, the Christian god, and the life force itself--via spring--are all evoked on this day. No wonder that a person "lightly turns to thoughts of love," a la Tennyson, during this season.
The 20th is the birthday of the poet Ovid, a Roman poet who got in hot water for his racy poetry and who was exiled to what is now Romania. He is known for his "Art of Love" and his "Metamorphoses," among other works.
(For allusions to Ovid in "Dancing," see the poems "Metamorphoses" and "Conversing," and of course the many transformations and gods depicted in the work.)
This year, the 20th is Palm Sunday, when Jesus was welcomed by the people as he rode a donkey into Jerusalem, a week before his resurrection on Easter morning.
(See "Epiphany," "Lent.")
The 20th is also the first full day of spring and thus evocative of rebirth, new life, and romance across cultures in the northern hemisphere.
(See "In the Bright Wood," "Winter Maying," "No More Young Foolishness," "Heralds," "Weeding," "Brighid Urges," "Elegy and Alleluia," "Felix culpa," "Easter Vigil," "Oklahoma Real," and "Offstage.")
May your spring be filled with love and wonder!
A Jug of Wine
"A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness--
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!"
from "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam"
The above quatrain, or "rubaiyat," is Edward FitzGerald's paraphrase of a stanza by Omar Khayyam, a fine Persian poet and scientist.
March 31st is FitzGerald's birthday.
"The Rubaiyat" is both philosophical and erotic, and "Dancing with a Baptist" refers to it many times, with the poet and her muse as variations of Omar and Saki.
For some allusions, see "First Lunch," "A Few Things," "Invitation," "Hell and Farewell" (empty cup), "Down by the Sandy Garden," "Offstage," and "Oklahoma."
For use of wine, tea, and picnics, see e.g. "Felix Culpa," "Brigid Urges," "Cupbearers," "The Poet."
The 31st is also the birthday of the 17th-century poet (and politician!) Andrew Marvell (also alluded to in "Dancing").
Rather than tweeting photos of his lady, Marvell wrote a marvelous poem to her ("To His Coy Mistress").
Too bad he's not running this year!
Celebrate these poets--Omar, FitzGerald, and Marvell--as we head into National Poetry Month, which begins April 1st.
And if weather permits, enjoy a picnic or two. : )
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness--
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!"
from "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam"
The above quatrain, or "rubaiyat," is Edward FitzGerald's paraphrase of a stanza by Omar Khayyam, a fine Persian poet and scientist.
March 31st is FitzGerald's birthday.
"The Rubaiyat" is both philosophical and erotic, and "Dancing with a Baptist" refers to it many times, with the poet and her muse as variations of Omar and Saki.
For some allusions, see "First Lunch," "A Few Things," "Invitation," "Hell and Farewell" (empty cup), "Down by the Sandy Garden," "Offstage," and "Oklahoma."
For use of wine, tea, and picnics, see e.g. "Felix Culpa," "Brigid Urges," "Cupbearers," "The Poet."
The 31st is also the birthday of the 17th-century poet (and politician!) Andrew Marvell (also alluded to in "Dancing").
Rather than tweeting photos of his lady, Marvell wrote a marvelous poem to her ("To His Coy Mistress").
Too bad he's not running this year!
Celebrate these poets--Omar, FitzGerald, and Marvell--as we head into National Poetry Month, which begins April 1st.
And if weather permits, enjoy a picnic or two. : )
