Who does not remember the immortal lines from childhood – ‘Break Break Break On Thy Cold Grey Stones’. The seas and oceans have a mystical power over us; from a playful day at the beach to the hysterical waves of the storm, this always changing element evokes both beauty and fear. Its great mass, its shimmering beauty, its raging howl and all in colours from blue to grey to green and crystal clear. In these collections of verse our poets – including Tennyson, Swinburne, Keats and Shelley a...

‘A dime a dozen’ as known in America, is perhaps equal to the English ‘cheap as chips’ but whatever the lingua franca of your choice in this series we hereby submit ‘A Rhyme a Dozen’ as 12 poems on many given subjects that are a well-rounded gathering, maybe even an essential guide, from the knowing pens of classic poets and their beautifully spoken verse to the comfort of your ears.1 - A Rhyme A Dozen - 12 Poems, 12 Poets, 1 Topic - Churchyards - An Introduction2 - Elegy W...

‘A dime a dozen’ as known in America, is perhaps equal to the English ‘cheap as chips’ but whatever the lingua franca of your choice in this series we hereby submit ‘A Rhyme a Dozen’ as 12 poems on many given subjects that are a well-rounded gathering, maybe even an essential guide, from the knowing pens of classic poets and their beautifully spoken verse to the comfort of your ears.1 - 01 - A Rhyme A Dozen - 12 Poems, 12 Poets, 1 Topic - Geographical Features - An Introduction...

John Milton was born in Bread Street, London, on December 9th, 1608. His early years were privately tutored before gaining a place at St Paul’s School and in 1625 he matriculated at Christ's College, Cambridge, earning a BA in 1629 and an MA in 1632. At Cambridge he had developed a reputation for poetic skill but also experienced alienation from his peers and university life as a whole.The next 6 years were spent in private study. He read both ancient and modern works of theology, ...

John Donne was born on 22nd January 1572 in London into a Roman Catholic family when Catholicism was illegal in England and there was turbulence and unrest with both state and church throughout much of Europe. His father, also named John, died when he was 4 and his mother, Elizabeth Heywood married a wealthy widower, ensuring the family were looked after. He received a good education in both Oxford and Cambridge but was unable to obtain a degree without taking the Oath of Supremacy, which ...

In England summer evenings remind us of the falling of the light, of village greens and the thump of willow on leather. In winter, evenings are dark, unlit and a time to be inside.The evening light, of twilight, of sunset, has another name in the movie business. They call it ‘magic hour’ and sometimes it is just that. The heavy, golden light suffuses everything with a glow and fullness that gladdens our hearts and delights our eyes.For our poets this was a time of mystery a...

George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, but more commonly known as just Byron was a leading English poet in the Romantic Movement along with Keats and Shelley.Byron was born on January 22nd, 1788. He was a great traveller across Europe, spending many years in Italy and much time in Greece. With his aristocratic indulgences, flamboyant style along with his debts, and a string of lovers he was the constant talk of society.In 1823 he joined the Greeks in their war of Independenc...

‘A dime a dozen’ as known in America, is perhaps equal to the English ‘cheap as chips’ but whatever the lingua franca of your choice in this series we hereby submit ‘A Rhyme a Dozen’ as 12 poems on many given subjects that are a well-rounded gathering, maybe even an essential guide, from the knowing pens of classic poets and their beautifully spoken verse to the comfort of your ears.1 - A Rhyme A Dozen - 12 Poems, 12 Poets, 1 Topic - Autumn - An Introduction2 - The Name of ...

Strictly speaking The Lake Poets were not a movement or school of poetry they were only so named as such by The Edinburgh Review so that they could be disparaged.It was a spectacular backfire!The three main figures would be rightly seen as among the most monumental figures in English poetry - William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the under rated but immense Robert Southey, himself a thirty year poet laureate.The profound majesty of the Lake District, an ar...

Alexander Pope was born on May 21st, 1688 into a Catholic family in London.His education was affected by the then recent Test Acts, which upheld the status of the Church of England and banned Catholics from teaching. In effect this meant his formal education was over by the age of 12 but Pope was to immerse himself in classical literature and languages and too, in effect, educate himself.From this age too he also suffered from numerous health problems including Pott’s disea...

Sometimes we just want the best. But that involves choices, judgements, decisions. And that all depends on our feelings, our mood at the time.Even more so with Poetry. Would we like a little more pathos, or love, or humour with that? Can we only choose one Keats? And ’If’? Surely Kipling wrote something else?So difficult to decide. This one or that? Is it easier to choose your fifty favourite poets or your fifty favourite poems?The argument can go on forever, certai...

Night. The day has gone. Departed. And the dark embrace, the inky shadows of night descend. For many a time to unwind and slumber. For some a nagging doubt that all is not well. That some primeval and primordial happening may yet go bump in the night.But for our poets the night is a time of wonder and imagination as well as many other emotions and feelings. Among our ranks of gloried talents are Keats, Coleridge, William Morris, DH Lawrence, Whitman, Longfellow and many more beside...