Vol.2 (03) - Peacock Pie

Peacock Pie

Ferrick Gray

Snippets
Volume 2, Issue 3 (May 29)

Peacock Pie
A Book of Rhymes
by Walter de la Mare

with embellishments
by C. Lovat Fraser

Constable & Company Ltd. 1924

Prefatory Remarks

⠀ I would imagine that most readers of poetry have come across the work of Walter de la Mare, at least I would hope this is the case. He is widely known for his stories and poetry, especially children’s poetry. Peacock Pie is one of his best collections, and has certainly been one of his most successful publications.

Cruel Society

Ferrick Gray

Poetry Showcase
May 14

Prefatory Remarks

Elision

⠀ The three instances of common elision in this poem are essentially identical being for never and ever. These were initially elided to n’er and e’er. However, being the only three, they appeared rather strange when met in the verses. The reason for this elision was to keep with meter without lengthening the verses.

Stanza 1, Verse 2 (never for n’er)
Stanza 9, Verse 1 (ever for e’er)
Stanza 10, Verse 1 (never for n’er)

⠀ Reflecting on the reason for elision, I decided to replace the elided forms with their non-elided forms as the elided forms were distracting (to a point) and unnecessary. Those recognizing the meter as iambic pentameter would soon realize how to say these words without violating the meter. (See examples after the poem.)

Vol.2 (02) - "Come Hither"

“Come Hither”

A Collection of Rhymes & Poems for the Young of all Ages.

(Made By)
Walter de la Mare
1948 Reprint

Ferrick Gray

Snippets
Volume 2, Issue 2 (May 1)

Prefatory Comments

⠀ Often it is far better that when reviewing a collection of verses or essays, it is done using more quotes rather than rephrasing the author’s original words. In what follows, I have attempted this due to the unique nature of this volume.

Vol.3 (06) - Imitation: Good or Bad?

Imitation: Good or Bad?

Ferrick Gray

The Yellowed Page
Volume 3, Issue 6 (April 20)

Prefatory Comments

⠀ The most natural course for any young or beginning poet is that of imitation. There are good reasons why this activity is common and in many ways necessary. However, there may also be problems that would not be obvious at the time.

⠀ Think about the first steps in any poetic journey, especially those younger poets, children, we may say. Most, if not all, will dabble with rime. I believe this to be true. At this stage, I cannot believe any youth or beginner disregarding rime in favor of free verse. Why? Because this is what we have in schools, or did have. Is it still considered of any importance? Whether or not, we found riming couplets and Sicilian quatrains. They are easy to remember, and both sound and rime appeal to younger children. Something is captivating about it all. Besides, they would have far better success with formal verse than they would with free verse. At this age, in the classroom, there would have been those who would have thought they were being subjected to an unimaginable torture.

Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee"

Ferrick Gray

Poetry Showcase

April 7

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love—
I and my Annabel Lee—
With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven
Coveted her and me.

Vol.3 (05) - Meter in English - Part II

Meter in English (Part II)

by Robert Wallace

What are the Metrical Feet in English Verse?
a diversion by
Ferrick Gray

Poetically Speaking
Volume 3, Issue 5 (April 4)

 

Prefatory Comments

⠀ It would be suitable at this stage to list the ten articles (what I will refer to as maxims) listed by Robert Wallace in his 1993 essay, Meter in English.

1. Instead of the term feminine ending, we should say simply extra-syllable ending, which may be abbreviated as e-s ending. (Equally, we may speak of extra-syllable or e-s rimes.)
2. For an omitted first syllable of a line, we should use the term anacrusis (from Greek, meaning the striking up of a tune).
3. Quantities are not a basis for meter in English.
4. Syllabics is not a meter in English.
5. In modern English, accentual meter does not exist.
6. Anapests (⏑ ⏑ –) and dactyls (– ⏑ ⏑) are legitimate substitutions in the iambic norm of English meter.
7. We should drop the pyrrhic foot (⏑ ⏑) and accept in its place the double-iamb (⏑ ⏑ – –), as one of the six foot-terms necessary: iamb (⏑ –), trochee (– ⏑) , anapest, dactyl, spondee (– –), double-iamb.
8. Anapestic, trochaic, and dactylic meters do not exist in English.
9. We should never use four degrees of speech stress for scanning.
10. The spondee is good, and fairly frequent, foot in English.

Vol.3 (05) - Restoration Tragedy

Restoration Tragedy

1660—1720
Bonamy Dobrée

Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1929

Ferrick Gray

The Yellowed Page
Volume 3, Issue 5 (March 30)

Prefatory Remarks

⠀ I have written about Dobrée's work before, with his Restoration Comedy (Snippets, Vol. 1, Issue 4). He keeps his study within the restoration period of 1660 to 1720 for both the comedy and tragedy expositions. I have found both of Dobrée's books to be easy reading with a somewhat lighthearted tone. What modern readers will find difficult are the writers he mentions. For many people, the bulk of his references will be unfamiliar and will require more research to understand the significance of what he is writing about.