It is a little late in the day, but today is the Eve of the Feast of St. Agnes. This reminds us all, of course, of the famous poem by Keats.
This is the Eve of St. Agnes and, therefore, time once again for a PODCAzT I made a while back. HERE
I, fan of poetry that I am, read out Keat’s poem, 42 Spencerian stanzas. It is torrid and lush, with marvelous moments and imagery, imbued with the revival of romantic, courtly love which was coming back into vogue in the early 19th century. The poem takes inspiration from a superstition, which I explain in an introduction.
The Eve of St Agnes would inspire the Pre-Raphaelites, as a matter of fact.
Speaking of Pre-Raphaelites, one of their circle, was Christina Rossetti, a poet in her own right.
Christina Rossetti wrote a poem which later was made into a Christmas carol: In the Bleak Midwinter. We are still within the Christmas cycle until Candlemas.
When I first posted this, a few prudish knuckleheads had a spittle-flecked nutty in my combox, but we pretty much ignored or deleted them.
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This post reminds me that I had the great good fortune of attending college in the late 1960s, before total insanity invaded the classrooms. In two English courses we studied English and American poetry, and very much of it sticks with me to this day, including Keats’ “St. Agnes Eve.” I give thanks for the wonder of a liberal education, now denied to most college students.