the 393nd anniversary of either his death
and the death of Cervantes
just to wish a very special literary evening.
It's also the (International) Day of the book?
Well, yes. But isn't every day a day of the book?
Comparing the results of my recent attempts to write some sonnets myself with what I am rereading these days, I came to the conclusion, in order not to put anyone off the realm of poetry, to post one from the Master of Avondale.
Alack what poverty my muse brings forth,
That having such a scope to show her pride,
The argument all bare is of more worth
Than when it hath my added praise beside.
O blame me not if I no more can write!
Look in your glass and there appears a face,
That over-goes my blunt invention quite,
Dulling my lines, and doing me disgrace.
Were it not sinful then striving to mend,
To mar the subject that before was well?
For to no other my verses tend,
Than of your graces and your gifts to tell.
And more, much more than in my verse can sit,
Your own glass shows you, when you look in it.
CIII
Huzzah for the Bard! And for Miguel (although, to my shame, I've never read Don Quixote...) Another huzzah for books! And thanks for the sonnet...
ReplyDeleteWhat's a book?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it like a web page that you can't scroll down? I hear you can't even embed video in those things!
Honestly Sean, I can't see them catching on.
It's hard for me to believe today that, in order to understand Shakespeare better when I first read him in my 20s, I memorized some of his Sonnets. I thought that particular one ended: "....when you look IN it." -- not "....AT it."
ReplyDeleteNot correcting you, Sean.:) Just wondering which word is the right one, and would it really matter?
Celebrating the Day of the Book with this quotation from A.S.W. Rosenbach:
"After love, book collecting is the most exhilarating sport of all."
Happy Birthday, dear writers everywhere...from the past, present and future...I couldn't live without you! À la vôtre!:)
D.E.,
ReplyDeletethanks in the name of the gentlemen.
As for Don Quijote: Reading it for the first time in the past millennium, was no fight against windmills but against the sandman; some years ago, though, it was a read at full speed.
Glad you enjoyed the sonnet.
Writing this, strictly spoken, there's no need of ever writing another poem, praising one's love. A sonnet for lazy bards. :)
C'est La Craic,
glorious! :)
Seriously: Did you watch 'Monsanto Green'? I think I'd be Sol Roth.
Oops, 'Soylent Green' was the title.
Claudia,
some can write a sonnet,
some can't even transcribe one, accurately.
:) Thanks so much.
I wasn't sure...It could have been my memory!...:)
ReplyDeleteThis is a fun day. I'm grateful, Sean.:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this beautiful sonnet. It allowed me to find out that I could still remember well what I memorized 40 years ago. Specially that Shakespeare was so difficult for me.