Classic Poetry

This poet of Victorian times was held in awe for his magnificent works, including "In Memoriam", "Morte D'Arthur", and "Charge of the Light Brigade". His language and command of vocabulary seem particularly in keeping with the grand sweep of Victorian ambition. Many selections are asembled here and read with great character by Dame Sybil Thorndike, Sir Edward Casson, and Robert Speaight.

The Poetry of Kissing. In many ways the title says it all. Kissing is Poetry. The kiss is perhaps the most loving and intimate moment there is. It is amongst our most soothing and treasured memories. This volume is not about the kiss of a mother’s to her child’s scraped knee, or the father to his baby’s head as he settles down to sleep. No, when the poets here talk of the kiss, they describe the longing and desire, the want and hunger to be part of something that so connects them to another.

The church building has been pivotal to man’s spiritual and religious life for centuries. For many the interior of a church is literally their one to one with God. The interiors, whether soaring or simple, ornate or minimal, are built for communion, for worship. Outside and surrounding our many churches is the churchyard; the burial ground, the repository for faithful souls. An all-weather idyll of calm around where many a poet has sat and contemplated the surrounding world.

It is often said that two things are unavoidable: death and taxes. Certainly the latter is a common thorn in adult life, but as to the former it seems that for many people it is merely a hiccup in life’s journey. A journey they wish, if being of good deed and character, to share at the eternity of heaven’s largesse, a reward for faith and the obligations of religion. Of course for those not so fortunate an altogether different experience was prepared for them: hell. Its nightmare visions are so terrifying, conjured up by Dante, Milton, Blake, Baudelaire and many others.

It is often said that two things are unavoidable: death and taxes.Certainly the latter is a common thorn in adult life, but as to the former it seems that for many people it is merely a hiccup in life’s eternal journey. A journey they wish, if being of good deed and character, to share at the eternity of heaven’s largesse, a reward for faith and the obligations of religion. Of course for those not so fortunate an altogether different experience was prepared for them: hell.

Caliban is a major character in The Tempest by Shakespeare. He is a deformed monster, the offspring of Sycrorax, a witch. Prospero, a magician who presides over the island where Caliban dwells, has made him a servant. This galls Caliban's spirit, as he believes himself to be the rightful ruler of the island. Setebos is the deity who was worshipped by Sycorax and is mentioned by Caliban in two scenes.

The speckled hen laid twelve eggs in her hidden nest at the top of the hay pile in the barn and the very last one, whom she called Humpty Dumpty, was the largest of all. The nest was very crowded and so the eggs began kicking each other to get more space for themselves. Humpty Dumpty, being on the very edge of the next, was kicked completely out and then decided to look about the wide world to see what he could see.

Old King Cole was not always a king, nor was he born a member of any royal family. It was only chance that made him a king at all. He had always been a poor man, being the son of an apple peddler, who had died and left him nothing but a donkey and a fiddle. But that was enough for Cole, who never bothered his head about the world's goods, but took things as they came and refused to worry about anything. So begins the story of how this happy soul became the king of a country by accident.

Gilligren was an orphan and lived with an uncle and aunt who were very unkind to him. They cuffed him and scolded him upon the slightest provocation, and made his life very miserable indeed. Gilligren never rebelled against this treatment, but bore their cruelty silently and with patience, although often he longed to leave them and seek a home amongst kinder people.

The Black Sheep is very young so he is curious about why the farmer cuts their wool off every year. "The man and his wife spin our wool into clothes to keep them warm" was the reply of a wise old ram. The little black sheep then meets the boy who lives down the lane and hears that his mother has no money to buy him a coat and he is cold in the winter so the kind little sheep asks the farmer if he will grow enough wool for 3 bags instead of the normal two, could he have one. The farmer agrees and so this is what happens. A wonderful story all around.

Have you ever been to a King Lear performance with the impression of not having understood everything? It's normal. Shakespeare's plays are the most beautiful of the theatrical repertoire, but you cannot go to a Shakespeare play if you do not have a minimum prepared this show: understand the issues, characters, context, cultural or historical references is indispensable. The same is true if you intend to read a play by William Shakespeare: our summaries will help you better understand what you have read.

In einer Bataille (Die Schlacht von einem Offizier) ist eine 1782 erschienene Ballade, Auszug: Schwer und dumpfig, Eine Wetterwolke, Durch die grüne Ebne schwankt der Marsch. Zum wilden eisernen Würfelspiel Streckt sich unabsehlich das Gefilde. Blicke kriechen niederwärts, An die Rippen pocht das Männerherz, Vorüber an hohlen Todtengesichtern Niederjagt die Front der Major: Halt! Und Regimenter fesselt das starre Kommando.

Punschlied I + II: Vier Elemente, Innig gesellt, Bilden das Leben, Bauen die Welt. Preßt der Zitrone Saftigen Stern! Herb ist des Lebens Innerster Kern.

"Ritter Toggenburg" ist eine im Juli des Balladenjahres 1797 entstandene Ballade von Friedrich Schiller. Nach Schillers Kalendereintrag schloss er sie am 31. Juli ab. Das in zehn trochäischen Strophen verfasste Gedicht erschien erstmals noch im gleichen Jahr im Musen-Almanach für das Jahr 1798 und wurde auch in die Gedichtausgaben von 1800 und 1804 aufgenommen.

Dies Gedicht entstand im Jahre 1796, vermutlich auf Anregung Goethes „Der Mythus“, welcher ihm zu Grunde liegt, ist der Raub der Proserpina, der auch schon von mehreren Dichtern des Altertums besungen worden ist. Proserpina war die Tochter des Zeus und der Ceres. Als sie herangewachsen war, tanzte sie einst in den Reihen der von Pallas und Artemis angeführten Nymphen. Aber angelockt durch liebliche Blumen, die dem Boden entsprossen, entfernte sie sich mit einigen Gespielinnen, und zuletzt auch von diesen.

"Der Handschuh" ist eine der bekanntesten Balladen Friedrich Schillers aus dem Jahr 1797, dem Jahr des freundschaftlichen Wettstreits um die besseren Balladen mit Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Die achtstrophige Ballade handelt vom Missbrauch einer Liebe. König Franz sitzt mit seinem Gefolge auf dem Balkon des Löwengartens, um einen Tierkampf zu sehen. Ein Löwe betritt die Arena, ein Tiger, zwei Leoparden. Daraufhin lässt Fräulein Kunigunde ihren Handschuh zwischen die Raubkatzen fallen und fordert den Ritter Delorges, welcher schon seit langem um sie wirbt, auf, ihn zurückzubringen.

Die Worte des Glaubens - Ballade 1797: Drei Worte nenn ich euch, inhaltschwer, Sie gehen von Munde zu Munde, Doch stammen sie nicht von außen her, Das Herz nur gibt davon Kunde, Dem Menschen ist aller Wert geraubt, Wenn er nicht mehr an die drei Worte glaubt.

Die Kraniche des Ibykus ist eine Ballade von Friedrich Schiller aus dem Jahr 1797, die im 6. Jh. v. Chr. spielt. Die Ballade wurde erstmals in Schillers Musenalmanach für das Jahr 1798 herausgegeben. Die Ballade beruht, wie bei Schiller oft, auf einem tatsächlichen historischen Geschehen: der Ermordung des Dichters Ibykos.

Punschlied (Im Norden zu singen, Ballade 1803): Auf der Berge freien Höhen, In der Mittagssonne Schein, An des warmen Strahles Kräften Zeugt Natur den goldnen Wein. Und noch Niemand hat’s erkundet, Wie die große Mutter schafft; Unergründlich ist das Wirken, Unerforschlich ist die Kraft.

Die Pest (Eine Phantasie): Gräßlich preisen Gottes Kraft Pestilenzen, würgende Seuchen, Die mit der grausen Brüderschaft Durchs öde Tal der Grabnacht schleichen.