Poetry and Stories

This is the place for talking about vintage books, posting random vintage photos, and anything else vintage paper memorabilia!
User avatar
Kitty
Posts: 10107
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:57 pm

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by Kitty »

donnie wrote:
Sun Jun 03, 2018 10:04 pm
Kitty wrote:
Sun Jun 03, 2018 5:56 pm
Um? What a charming bedtime story.
:o :lol: Wow, what grisly little ditty. Wherever did you dig that one up?
I think I found that one on Twitter. :lol:
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

User avatar
donnie
Posts: 7614
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 8:28 am

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by donnie »

A detail I noticed: All the couplets are a perfect rhyme except for the last two lines. I know pronunciations change over time. I wonder if when that was written, "her" was pronounced something like "hair" to rhyme with "share"; or "share" was pronounced like "sure" to rhyme with "her".

I know that's sometimes how linguists figure out what pronunciations were like hundreds of years ago. For example, I remember learning that in the the England of the 1600's, "tea" was apparently pronounced like "tay" because of the way it was rhymed.

User avatar
Kitty
Posts: 10107
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:57 pm

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by Kitty »

donnie wrote:
Mon Jun 04, 2018 8:00 am
A detail I noticed: All the couplets are a perfect rhyme except for the last two lines. I know pronunciations change over time. I wonder if when that was written, "her" was pronounced something like "hair" to rhyme with "share"; or "share" was pronounced like "sure" to rhyme with "her".

For example, I remember learning that in the the England of the 1600's, "tea" was apparently pronounced like "tay" because of the way it was rhymed.
I thought that same thing, that the last two lines don't rhyme to us, but if you imagine the storyteller having a thick Irish or Scottish accent, it makes sense. The Irish say 'tay' for tea all the time, and I have heard them say 'hair' for 'her'.
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

User avatar
donnie
Posts: 7614
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 8:28 am

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by donnie »

Kitty wrote:
Mon Jun 04, 2018 9:39 am
I thought that same thing, that the last two lines don't rhyme to us, but if you imagine the storyteller having a thick Irish or Scottish accent, it makes sense. The Irish say 'tay' for tea all the time, and I have heard them say 'hair' for 'her'.
Yes, you're right. I had an Irish violin teacher when I was in college, and I'm pretty sure he pronounced "her" that way.

User avatar
Kitty
Posts: 10107
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:57 pm

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by Kitty »

I'm reading Riley's Love Lyrics, a poetry book full of love poems by James Whitcomb Riley. Some are so beautiful. I've read a few pages so far, and one specifically took my breath away. It's called The Passing of A Heart.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/internetpo ... eart-poem/
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

User avatar
donnie
Posts: 7614
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 8:28 am

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by donnie »

Kitty wrote:
Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:24 pm
I'm reading Riley's Love Lyrics, a poetry book full of love poems by James Whitcomb Riley. Some are so beautiful. I've read a few pages so far, and one specifically took my breath away. It's called The Passing of A Heart.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/internetpo ... eart-poem/
Isn't that a poignant and moving poem!

User avatar
Kitty
Posts: 10107
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:57 pm

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by Kitty »

donnie wrote:
Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:56 pm
Kitty wrote:
Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:24 pm
I'm reading Riley's Love Lyrics, a poetry book full of love poems by James Whitcomb Riley. Some are so beautiful. I've read a few pages so far, and one specifically took my breath away. It's called The Passing of A Heart.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/internetpo ... eart-poem/
Isn't that a poignant and moving poem!
I loved that. I think this one is going to have a nice review in the book reading thread :lol:
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

User avatar
BettyLouSpence
Posts: 2432
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:29 pm
Location: Gashouse Gables
Contact:

Re: Poetry and Stories

Post by BettyLouSpence »

You can feel the passion in the lines :)
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
~ Cicero, Letters to Friends, Book IX Letter IV

Post Reply