"We must record love's mystery without claptrap,
Snatch out of time the passionate transitory"
- 'The Hospital' by Patrick Kavanagh
Showing posts with label Patrick Kavanagh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patrick Kavanagh. Show all posts
Friday, December 2, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Patrick Kavanagh
"Nothing whatever is by love debarred"
- 'The Hospital' by Patrick Kavanagh
Maybe surprisingly, Kavanagh wrote this poem about "the functional ward of a chest hospital." Kavanagh describes its plainness, ugliness, even - "an art lover's woe" but it was here that Kavanagh was treated for lung cancer and saved, and thus, despite his preconceptions he "fell in love" with the hospital. In my opinon, that's Kavanagh's greatest attribute - his ability to see beauty where others cannot.
- 'The Hospital' by Patrick Kavanagh
Maybe surprisingly, Kavanagh wrote this poem about "the functional ward of a chest hospital." Kavanagh describes its plainness, ugliness, even - "an art lover's woe" but it was here that Kavanagh was treated for lung cancer and saved, and thus, despite his preconceptions he "fell in love" with the hospital. In my opinon, that's Kavanagh's greatest attribute - his ability to see beauty where others cannot.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Patrick Kavanagh
"O I loved too much and by such by such is happiness thrown away"
- 'On Raglan Road' by Patrick Kavanagh
- 'On Raglan Road' by Patrick Kavanagh
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Patrick Kavanagh
"Homer's ghost came whispering to my mind
He said: I made the Iliad from such
A local row. Gods make their own importance."
- 'Epic' by Patrick Kavanagh
Kavanagh wrote this poem discussing a "local row" as he calls it, between two Irish farmers in a rural area, arguing over a tiny piece of land, each declaring it their own. Kavanagh compares it to the "Munich bother", i.e. the 1938 Munich conference and concludes that art is made great not by the subject matter, but by the artist, thus the somewhat arrogant reference to himself as one of the "Gods" of literature. Despite that, I like the idea of making your own importance, (even if we all might not be considered "Gods" by Kavanagh!), forging your own path. You can make your mark on the world even if what you have to say might not seem significant.
He said: I made the Iliad from such
A local row. Gods make their own importance."
- 'Epic' by Patrick Kavanagh
Kavanagh wrote this poem discussing a "local row" as he calls it, between two Irish farmers in a rural area, arguing over a tiny piece of land, each declaring it their own. Kavanagh compares it to the "Munich bother", i.e. the 1938 Munich conference and concludes that art is made great not by the subject matter, but by the artist, thus the somewhat arrogant reference to himself as one of the "Gods" of literature. Despite that, I like the idea of making your own importance, (even if we all might not be considered "Gods" by Kavanagh!), forging your own path. You can make your mark on the world even if what you have to say might not seem significant.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Patrick Kavanagh
"I have what every poet hates in spite
Of all the solemn talk of contemplation."
- 'Iniskeen Road: July Evening' by Patrick Kavanagh
In this poem, Kavanagh speaks about his solitude as a poet. He discusses watching the townspeople passing in twos and threes, their intimacy and friendship is evident to him. Kavanagh however is on the edge, and this is as a result, he believes, of his being a poet. I think it's quite an interesting observation - quite shrewd really. Because when it comes down to it, who wants to be alone?
Of all the solemn talk of contemplation."
- 'Iniskeen Road: July Evening' by Patrick Kavanagh
In this poem, Kavanagh speaks about his solitude as a poet. He discusses watching the townspeople passing in twos and threes, their intimacy and friendship is evident to him. Kavanagh however is on the edge, and this is as a result, he believes, of his being a poet. I think it's quite an interesting observation - quite shrewd really. Because when it comes down to it, who wants to be alone?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Patrick Kavanagh
"I saw the danger, yet I walked along the enchanted way
And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day"
- 'On Raglan Road' by Patrick Kavanagh
And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day"
- 'On Raglan Road' by Patrick Kavanagh
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
