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primsongBeen reading through a collection of poetry and essay snippets by Ralph Waldo Emerson. We have a 'secret sisters' thing at our church where you pick a name at the beginning of each year out of a basket, then leave goodies anonymously for them throughout the year. Last year I got random thrift store clearance bin stuff. This year I have a great one - I get chocolate, LOTR figures and books of poetry! Woohoo!
Hence the new (antiquated) anthology of Emerson. I never cared for him before, but now I see it's because I only read some of his poems. He is a bit stilted in his poetry, the imagery is okay but it doesn't flow together very well and his analogies often feel a bit forced. Now I see why - he utterly soars in his essays and journal entries! Taking the concepts he has there and trying to force them into a poetic pattern was for him like clipping his wings.
I'm heading to the library today to return my daughter's nearly-overdue Star Trek novels (she's getting into classic Trek this summer) and I have *got* to find a collection of his essays to read the complete work instead of these tantalizing sections that are sprinkled between the poems in this book. I don't necessarily agree with Emerson on some of his conclusions about man, the spirit realm and nature but wow could he write!
Hence the new (antiquated) anthology of Emerson. I never cared for him before, but now I see it's because I only read some of his poems. He is a bit stilted in his poetry, the imagery is okay but it doesn't flow together very well and his analogies often feel a bit forced. Now I see why - he utterly soars in his essays and journal entries! Taking the concepts he has there and trying to force them into a poetic pattern was for him like clipping his wings.
I'm heading to the library today to return my daughter's nearly-overdue Star Trek novels (she's getting into classic Trek this summer) and I have *got* to find a collection of his essays to read the complete work instead of these tantalizing sections that are sprinkled between the poems in this book. I don't necessarily agree with Emerson on some of his conclusions about man, the spirit realm and nature but wow could he write!
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Date: 2004-08-20 11:43 pm (UTC)