These are poems about Mermaids, Mermen, Sirens and Lorelei. Included are my translations of two poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "The Fisher" and "The Song of the Spirits over the Waters."
"Sinking" commemorates succinctly, in only six lines, the tragic death by suicide of UK novelist, Virginia Woolf, in the River Ouse, in Sussex. She filled her pockets with rocks and stones beforehand to weigh herself down. Interestingly, Mike has her wearing a "gown" rather than a coat because "gown" rhymes so nicely with "down", but also because it conjures a vivid image of Shakespeare's Ophelia, who died also by drowning. This is a remarkable and memorable little poem.
"Sinking" commemorates succinctly, in only six lines, the tragic death by suicide of UK novelist, Virginia Woolf, in the River Ouse, in Sussex. She filled her pockets with rocks and stones beforehand to weigh herself down. Interestingly, Mike has her wearing a "gown" rather than a coat because "gown" rhymes so nicely with "down", but also because it conjures a vivid image of Shakespeare's Ophelia, who died also by drowning. This is a remarkable and memorable little poem.
Martin, I'm glad you like "Sinking" and I was thinking of Ophelia.
Ah, I knew that!
You are a very good interpreter of poetry and an astute literary critic.
Thank you. I appreciate that. I commented also on "Learning to Fly" and that poem is getting a very good response.
I like to think I'm a good interpreter of poetry and a good critic, so I recognize good criticism when I read it.
BTW, have your read Lives of the Poets by Michael Schmidt?
I'm reading it for the third time and Schmidt is a superior critic and full of fascinating facts about poets.
No, I haven't read it yet, but I've heard of him - he's Mexican and went to Harvard. I must order a copy.