Shelley and Sandburg

Hello, friends.

Welcome to anyone new to Souvenirs who's wandered here!

Our poets for this week are Percy Shelley and Carl Sandburg. So bring your favorite Shelley and Sandburg to read -- or brush up on some to recite.

We're also going to try something new this semester: We're choosing a specific poem for discussion from one of our poets. Here's this week's poem, Shelley's "Invocation":

RARELY, rarely, comest thou,
Spirit of Delight!
Wherefore hast thou left me now
Many a day and night?
Many a weary night and day	5
'Tis since thou art fled away.
How shall ever one like me
Win thee back again?
With the joyous and the free
Thou wilt scoff at pain.	10
Spirit false! thou hast forgot
All but those who need thee not.
As a lizard with the shade
Of a trembling leaf,
Thou with sorrow art dismay'd;	15
Even the sighs of grief
Reproach thee, that thou art not near,
And reproach thou wilt not hear.
Let me set my mournful ditty
To a merry measure;	20
Thou wilt never come for pity,
Thou wilt come for pleasure:
Pity then will cut away
Those cruel wings, and thou wilt stay.
I love all that thou lovest,	25
Spirit of Delight!
The fresh earth in new leaves drest
And the starry night;
Autumn evening, and the morn
When the golden mists are born.	30
I love snow, and all the forms
Of the radiant frost;
I love waves, and winds, and storms,
Everything almost
Which is Nature's, and may be	35
Untainted by man's misery.
I love tranquil solitude,
And such society
As is quiet, wise, and good;
Between thee and me	40
What diff'rence? but thou dost possess
The things I seek, not love them less.
I love Love—though he has wings,
And like light can flee,
But above all other things,	45
Spirit, I love thee—
Thou art love and life! O come!
Make once more my heart thy home!

I hope to see you Thursday! Bring a friend (besides Shelley and Sandburg). :D

- Joanna

Shakespeare!

Welcome back, all!

We're reading Shakespeare at our first meeting, as is traditional. So come, read and recite Shakespeare, and catch up with all the spiffy poetry people.

Bring a lost freshman with you if possible! Also, we'll be chalking poetry on campus this Wednesday night to advertise our first meeting (and also because we like poetry). Contact me or Nathan (commenting on this post will work) if you'd like to help.

We're excited about Souvenirs this semester, and we'll also talk about some plans for the semester at the first meeting.

- Joanna