Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Farewell: National Poetry Month 2003
National Poetry Month of 2003 ends today. As usual, I have failed to fulfill my ambitions with respect to posting poetry links on these pages.
As a kind of farewell to NPM, I would like to bring these two very worthy sites to your attention --
1) vers libre, "free verse" is a large archive of classic and modern poetry. More than 450 poets are represented here, with more than 12,000 poems.
One interesting feature is a list of the site's 100 most popular poems. There is a sitemap to help the reader navigate the site.An impressive aspect of this archive is the sheer number of works by some of the authors represented. The Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) page, for example, has 25 poems.
One of Bukowski's poems is an excellent illustration of the punch that a good poem can deliver -- Bukowski's brief remembrance of the author Carson McCullers.
2) Poetry for September 11. On the anniversary of the September 11 tragedies, the Boston Globe asked its readers to name poems and songs that had helped them cope with the grief they had felt. Many of the works identified are posted below.
Poems
Memorial for A City, W. H. Auden (excerpt)
September 1, 1939, W. H. Auden (excerpt)
The Peace of Wild Things, Wendell Berry
Song in a Year of Catastrophe, Wendell Berry (excerpt)
Victory in Defeat, Edwin Markham
The Summer Day, Mary Oliver
Newspaper, Robert Pinsky
Try to Praise the Mutilated World, Adam Zagajewski
Lyrics
Trouble of the World, by
Mahalia Jackson
Colors of the Wind,
Vanessa Williams
Other
Speaking Well of the Dead, Israel Horovitz
Varieties of Religious Experience, John Updike
Grandes Chroniques de France (illuminated manuscript)
(cont'd)
In 1364, Charles V was crowned king of France. Illustrations of events that took place during his reign form the last sections of the Grandes Chroniques de France. Although there are many more illustrations than have been showcased here in recent weeks, this will probably be the last installment of such miniatures for the foreseeable future.
Coronations of Charles V ("the Wise," le Sage) and his consort, Jeanne de Bourbon (1364) This set of two illustrations are near the top of the page, and extend across its entirety. The general page layout is thus revealed (from top to bottom): marginal decoration; text; 2 illustrations; decorated initial opening 2-column text).
Coronation of Charles V (1364) (bishops and lords wear emblazoned robes that identify their cities or provinces
Coronation of Jeanne de Bourbon, consort of Charles V (again, emblazoned robes indicate specific cities and provinces).
Burgos surrenders to Bertrand du Guesclin (at bottom of page). Note that this miniature is in an entirely different shape and style than the others.
Cardinals arrested at Viterbo.
Procession for the baptism of Charles V's son (future Charles VI), carried by Queen Jeanne of Evreux, 1310-1371, wife of Charles IV of France. This miniature extends across the entire page; with 2-column text above; and initial and 2-column text below.
Beheading of Peter the Cruel, king of Castile, as his brother, Henry of Trastamara, looks on.
Charles the Bad, king of Navarre, doing homage to Charles V, king of France.
Charles IV's Visit to Paris: Special Section
In 1378, Emperor Charles IV and his son Wenceslaus IV, king of Bohemia, made a celebrated visit to Paris to visit Charles V. (Charles IV was the maternal uncle of Charles V.)
Charles V receiving a messenger from Emperor Charles IV (at top left corner of page)Procession in Cambrai in honor of Emperor Charles IV and his son Wenceslaus IV, king of Bohemia (top left corner of page)
Emperor Charles IV hearing Mass
Emperor Charles IV and his son, Wenceslaus IV, king of Bohemia, welcomed at Senlis.
Emperor Charles IV, suffering from gout and carried on a litter, welcomed by the people of Paris (a broad miniature, with text above; with initial and text underneath).
King Charles V of France, welcoming Emperor Charles IV and King Wenceslaus IV (across entire page);
The three royal figures (detail).Charles V, Emperor Charles IV and King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia arriving in Paris (top of page, extending across page);
The three royal figures (detail).Charles V, king of France, embracing Emperor Charles IV, King Wenceslaus looks on.
Emperor Charles IV receiving presents from the city of Paris, as King Wenceslaus looks on.
Charles V's banquet, at the royal palace, in honor of Emperor Charles IV and King Wenceslaus IV; with entertainment commemorating the First Crusade and the capture of Jerusalem by Godfrey of Bouillon (top of page, across entire page).
Royal figures at the banquet;(detail);
Sloop used during entertainment (detail).Emperor Charles IV meets with professors from the Sorbonne
King Charles V of France, Emperor Charles IV, and his son King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia.
Emperor Charles IV visiting Queen Jeanne of Bourbon, wife of Charles V.
Two more events during visit (Note: most of page: some marginal decoration; 2 miniatures; 2 initials, 2-column text).
Wenceslaus IV, king of Bohemia, doing homage to Charles V of France, as Emperor Charles IV looks on;
Emperor Charles IV on pilgrimage to the abbey of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés.Charles IV and King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia receiving presents from the king of France (interesting figures in right margin).
Charles V of France and Emperor Charles IV exchanging rings.Emperor Charles IV's chancellor delivering letters to dauphin, as King Charles V of France looks on.
Funeral of Jeanne of Bourbon
(miniature, with two initials and 2-column text below).
Body carried by pallbearers (detail).
Charles VI is crowned king of France by the French bishops and lords (1380)
(f. 3v: full page is represented (top to bottom, left to right)
Coronation (detail).
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