Happy Deathday, Mr. Lanier!

On this day in 1881, American poet and musician, Sidney Lanier died from possible complications due to tuberculosis. He was 39 years old.

This one time confederate soldier, first published in 1867, is thought today by many to be the greatest Southern poet to emerge after Edgar Allan Poe. His debut novel, Tiger Lilies deals mostly with his war experiences but is a hint of the sort of musical writer he would one day become.

Unfortunately, many of the poems he is best remembered for, can be rather racist. “The Raven Days,” “Civil Rights,” “Betrayal,” “Corn,” “Laughter in the Senate,” and “The Revenge of Hamish” are just a few that come to mind.  Before pursuing writing full-time, he practiced law, and wrote in 1878 the poem, “The Marshes of Glynn” which endeared him to his native state of Georgia. In 1879, he was made lecturer on English literature at Johns Hopkins University. His lectures became the basis of his Science of English Verse (1880, his most important prose work, and an admirable discussion of the relations of music and poetry.

Since his death, an enlarged and final edition (1884) of his poems, prepared by his wife, his Letters, 1866-1881 (1899), and several volumes of miscellaneous prose have been published. In fact, a posthumous work on Shakespeare and his Forerunners (1902) was edited by H. W. Lanier. If you are a fan of Southern poetry and historical content from this time period, we recommend The Song of the Chattahoochee (1877).

Today, write a love letter to your native state or town. Write about the times we’re currently living in… the war, the politics… get angry, be empathetic… find the beautiful things beneath the turmoil.

Write on in peace, Mr. Lanier!

Happy Deathday Mr. Wilmot!

                     “He never said a foolish thing nor never did a wise one”

On July 26th in 1680, the Second Earl of Rochester and perhaps the most debauched libertine poet to ever live, died of syphilis at the age of 33. That “debauched” man was John Wilmot.

Horace Walpole once described him as “a man whom the muses were fond to inspire but ashamed to avow”. We would have to agree.

Wilmot, who was a friend of King Charles II and infamous across London during the Restoration period, was a satirist, poet, playwright and notorious libertine. His work was greatly influenced by classical authors, such as Lucretius and Ovid, and it is evident that he was highly educated as he alludes to politics, literature and philosophy in his bawdy and often offensive rhymes.

Our favorite work by Wilmot is undoubtedly Sodom, or the Quintessence of Debauchery, published in 1684. We’ll not disclose the particulars of this play here… but we encourage any lovers of erotic literature to give it a read. Unfortunately, many of Wilmot’s writings were burned and otherwise destroyed after his death, in an effort to “preserve his decency”. What was not destroyed, was not published under his name until well after his death, but his influence on popular culture is clear. Authors such as Tennyson, Goethe , Defoe and Voltaire often complimented Wilmot’s work or quoted him in their own writings. 

Today, we encourage our readers who are of legal age, to rent “The Libertine” starring Johnny Depp and disappear into 17th century England for awhile… (Stern Warning: If you watch this movie, you will end up snogging whoever you happen to be sitting next to while watching it)

Write (and shag) on in peace, Mr. Wilmot!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Hemingway!

On July 2nd, in 1961, American writer Ernest Hemingway was found in his Idaho home, with a self inflicted gunshot wound through the head. He was 61 years old and is remembered today as a brilliant writer, a WWI veteran and an acclaimed journalist. 

Most people tend to focus on Hemingway’s rather low view of women or the fact that he, like so many writers we love, killed himself. The truth, as we see it, is this; Ernest Hemingway documented the world around him. Not unlike the great painter Walter Sickert who boasted that he only painted what he had seen, so we feel it is the same with Hemingway. He wrote what he saw in the vast and adventurous life that he led and in the company he kept. Hemingway used plain but forceful prose, with very few adjectives or adverbs. He wrote crisp, accurate dialogue and exact descriptions of places and things.  Hemingway’s simple style undeniably exerted a powerful influence on American and British fiction in the 20th century.

During the twenties, Hemingway became a member of the group of expatriate Americans in Paris, which greatly influenced his first notable work, The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.

Some of our favorite Hemingway novels include For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea (for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1952) , The Sun Also Rises and his collection of short stories published in 1932 Death in the Afternoon.

Our ultimate favorite long format piece by Hemingway, is without question A Moveable Feast. It was posthumously published in 1964, and is an autobiographical book based on notebooks he kept in Paris in the 1920s. If you’ve not read it, we are hesitant to say much more about it and encourage every aspiring and working writer alike to READ THIS BOOK!

Two more novels were published after his death — Islands in the Stream (1970) and the unfinished The Garden of Eden (1986). A “must read” for die-hard Hemingway fans.

We have posted this short story before, but we just love it so much, we thought we’d post it again! Our favorite Hemingway short story is only 6 words long and is thought by many to be his greatest work:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Brilliant.

Today we encourage our readers to stay up all night brooding and writing.

Challenge yourselves, write a short story in just six words!

Write on in peace, Mr. Ernest Hemingway.

Happy Deathday, Signore Leopardi!

On June 14th, in 1837, Italian poet and scholar, Giacomo Leopardi, died in Naples, during a cholera outbreak. He was 38 years old.

The product of an aristocratic, religiously fanatic and emotionally stifled household, Giacomo Leopardi began reading and eventually writing as a means of escape. As a child, he was sickly and suffered physical pain and deformity due to scoliosis, and so he was often confined to the house- where he passed the time immersed in his father’s extensive library of classics.

At the tender age of fourteen, he wrote Pompeo in Egitto (Pompey in Egypt) an anti-Caesarean manifesto, and from there, he developed a taste for writing many other philological works, and he may have continued down that path and made a career of it, until…. in 1816, something remarkable happened. Leopardi wrote L’appressamento della morte (The Approach of Death), a poem in terza rima , which was, obviously, well influenced by the works of Dante.

On his transition to poetry, he is recounted as having called it “the passage from erudition to the beautiful”. And how beautiful it was. Leopardi would go on to be praised not only for his lyrical poetry, but also his satirical prose.

Even today, many people regard Leopardi as the “first modern Italian classic” poet. Some scholars liken his style to that of Byron, in that it is often melancholy and despairing, but there is some deeper quality to Leopardi’s work that we find perfectly sobering, if at times depressing.  In fact, we found this great article from the New Yorker, published in 2010, which describes reading Leopardi’s works as not being “an experience for the fainthearted”. This could not be more true. As Frederick John Snell, author of The Primer of Italian Literature, once said of Leopardi’s writing:

“He opens every little scratch, and probes, if he does not poison, the wounds of suffering humanity. Yet in all this he is the reverse of a fanatic. He argues dexterously, in the finest of literary styles.”

If you are unfamiliar with this tragically beautiful poet, you should head to your local library and scout around for him. Some of our favorite works by Leopardi include Zibaldone di pensieri (a collection of observations and criticisms) and the Last Canti, published between 1832 and 1837.

Today… explore your own cynicism and get to know the tormented artist within. Write down everything that you think is wrong with the world. Even if you never share it with another living soul, perhaps Signore Leopardi will appreciate your clever observations.

Write on in peace, Giacomo Leopardi!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Crane!

On this day in 1900, American writer, Stephen Crane died of Tuberculosis in Germany. He was only 28 years old.

Educated at Lafayette College and Syracuse University, Crane did not graduate, but opted to work as a journalist for the New York Tribune, as well as the Herald. (If only all of us writers had that opportunity just fall in our laps with no degree, these days…) Crane’s first published work was a story, Maggie, a Girl of the Streets, and was published in 1891.  However Crane’s greater success came in 1896, when he wrote  The Red Badge of Courage. Chances are, if you have made it through grade school, you have read this book. It has been used across the Nation, for decades, to teach youngsters about the American Civil War.But make no mistake, we’re not trying to say that the work is childish. The descriptions are as rich as the realism and we cannot stress enough that if you haven’t read this book yet, you are in for a linguistic treat!

Mr. Crane also authored a wonderful book of poems in 1895 entitled, The Black Riders, and a plethora of other stories. What you may not know about Crane is that he acted as a war correspondent in the Greco-Turkish War (1897) and the Spanish American War (1898).

Today… we challenge you to dwell in the world of harsh realism and follow the story of a character that is thrown right into the middle of it. Will your character earn their very own read badge of courage?

Write on in peace, Mr. Crane!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Gibran!

On April 10th, in 1931, Lebanese poet and novelist, Khalil Gibran died of cirrhosis of the liver. He was only 48 years old.

Gibran drew his words from an overwhelmingly vast well of influences. He often merged Eastern and Western philosophies in his poetry, and having grown up in Lebanon, studied art in Paris with Rodin and then adopted America as his new home, Gibran had a broad view of life, religiously, economically and romantically.

If you are unfamiliar with this spiritually stirring poet, we suggest you take a look at this biography on the young writer’s life, or if you are in a hurry check out this link.

Our favorite work by Mr. Gibran, also happens to be listed as one of the century’s best selling books in America after the Bible! The Prophet ,published in 1923, has touched millions of people, all over the world. This was one of the first books Gibran wrote in English and we highly encourage those who have not experienced it, to give it a chance.You’ll be so glad you did.

Some other favorites of ours include The Madman (1918), Sand and Foam (1926) and The New Frontier (1925). It may surprise some of you to hear that American president, John F. Kennedy was influenced by Khalil Gibran, when he famously stated in his Inaugural Speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” He was, in fact, quoting from The New Frontier, which had been written thirty-six years prior.

“Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country?”

Today, we have a fun exercise for you and a nice way to remember Mr. Gibran…  be your own prophet. The prophet begins like this…

The Prophet, who has lived in a foreign city for twelve years, is about to board a ship that will take him back home. He is stopped by a group of people, who interrogate him about the mysteries of life…

Now, YOU, fill in the blanks. What are your mysteries? What are your solutions to the day’s problems? What are you certain of? What lies ahead?

Write on in peace, Mr. Gibran!

A Tall Order: Happy Deathday Messrs Whitman, Chandler and Coward!

Today is a big day for us here at the DWC! On this day in 1892, American poet, Walt Whitman died of pneumonia at the age of 72. Also on this day, in 1959, American author, Raymond Chandler also died of pneumonia at the age of 70. And finally, on this day, March 26th, British playwright, Noël Coward died of heart failure at the ripe old age of 74.

Mr. Whitman is, of course, remembered best for his major work, Leaves of Grass, which he continued to update even upon his death bed! It may surprise many of you to know that this wonderfully lyrical work was periodically banned for being “indecent,” as well as for the equally powerfully moving poems, I Sing the Body Electric and Song of Myself. Whitman may have ignored conventional rhyme and meter, but his style is recognized the world over, for its unique, melodic speech patterns.

Although Whitman’s earlier works were far from popular, Ralph Waldo Emerson was among the poet’s early admirers.  He found Leaves particularly inspiring, writing of the poem in 1855, “I am very happy in reading it, as great power makes us happy.” Well put, Mr. Emerson, well put.

Whitman’s final volume of poetry was the “Deathbed” edition of Leaves of Grass, which he prepared in 1891-92.  It concludes with the prose piece, “A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads,” in which the poet attempts to give us a glimpse of where he has been and perhaps… where we are all headed.  We encourage readers, young and old, from every race, class and religion to pick up a copy of this truly epic piece of American literature today… for many of us, it is a “must-own”. For an excellent biography on this titan of literature, we will direct you here.

Now for Mr. Chandler…whose idiosyncratic prose voice is not so unlike Mr. Whitman’s, in that it is entirely unique. His first novel, The Big Sleep (which he wrote in three months and happens to be one of our personal favorites), hit bookstores in 1939 and introduced the character who would come to be synonymous with, and long outlive, his creator: the wisecracking, chess-playing, late-30s L.A. private eye Philip Marlowe. Although Chandler has not set out to write mysteries, it turned out he had a real talent for it, so he continued, penning a plethora of stories, featuring Philip Marlowe. Farewell, My Lovely (1940) and The Long Goodbye (1953) are, without question, his master works. Chandler also took to writing for the big screen in the early ’40s, adapting James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity (1943) and writing the original screenplay for The Blue Dahlia (1946), both of which, he was given Oscar nominations for.

The New York Times once said “Chandler wrote as if pain hurt and life mattered”. This statement holds up, even today. Whatever image you have today of life in mid-20th-century Los Angeles, you have because of Mr. Chandler’s rough, raw look at a city alternating between two worlds of luxury and lawlessness. Personally, we rather think the creators of popular video game L.A. Noire should have given Mr. Chandler a screen credit ;)

Moving on to Noël Coward…let us start by saying that Mr. Coward was truly a titan of his field, penning over forty plays, including musical librettos and film adaptations of his own work. Many people have attributed the notion of “celebrity” to Mr. Coward, whose debonair and stylish appearance, made him an early icon of the 1920s and 30s.

Coward wrote classics of high comedy that capture the period in which they were written.  By far, Coward’s most spectacular show was Cavalcade, which opened in 1930 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Cavalcade was a pageant of English history seen through different generations of the same family and if you ever get a chance to read/see it, you will be all the more enriched for having done so. Some of our favorite works by Coward include The Young Idea (1922), Fallen Angels (1925), Private Lives (1930) and Blithe Spirit (1941). Notable songs written by Coward include “I’ll See You Again” and “Mad About the Boy.”

What we admire most about Mr. Coward, was his ability to wear many hats. Musician, writer, wit…actor. In 1943, Coward received an Oscar for his patriotic war film In Which We Serve. Not only did he write the screenplay, but Coward composed the film’s music and starred in the film as well! If you’ve never seen it… go rent it today! You will not be disappointed.

Today, we hope you will observe the passing of these three very different but nonetheless important innovators of the craft. Whitman… with his lithesome and natural verse, that caresses the soul and cradles the spirit of America in so weathered, yet steady a hand. Chandler… the man who gave the dirty and decadent streets of 1930s Los Angeles a voice. Coward… a name synonymous with cheek, chic and superb technique.

Today, be vulnerable, be perceptive and be daring… be innovative. Cultivate a style all your own. Start a movement.

Write on in peace, you sleeping giants, Mr. Whitman, Mr. Chandler and Mr. Coward!

Happy Deathday, Ms. Brontë!

On this day in 1848, English novelist, Emily Brontë, died of tuberculosis at the age of thirty.

Emily, of the famed “Brontë Sisters”, was the middle sister and the author of the novel, Wuthering Heights, published in 1847. Tragically, this is the only novel published by the young writer, although she did pen several poems , often under the alias of Ellis Bell.

Wuthering Heights, which is now widely regarded as a classic of English Literature, was actually written well over two years before it was finally published a year before Brontë’s untimely death. And it was only printed after the overwhelming success of her elder sister’s novel, Jane Eyre.

The novel has been parodied in popular culture, adapted, dramatized and even alluded to in popular music! Clearly, Ms. Emily Brontë left her literary mark! If you’ve never read this gothic novel of romance, drama, humor and vengeance… you really must add it to your holiday reading list!

Today, why not try your hand at a bit of drama? Star crossed lovers, back stabbing best friends… you get the idea.

Write on in peace, Ms. Brontë!

Happy Deathday Ms. Austen!

On July 18th in 1817, one of England’s best loved female authors died of what is now believed to have been bovine tuberculosis. Her name was Jane Austen.

That very name has become synonymous with nineteenth century realism lit, but would you believe this wonderfully talented writer was hardly considered “one of the greats” until the 1940s - many years after her death?!

Her best known, if not her best work, Pride and Prejudice, was also her first. It was written between October 1796 and August 1797, although it was not published until 1813, two years after Sense and Sensibility, which was written 1797 and 1798. In fact, Ms. Austen had a rather hard time initially finding a publisher!! If that is not encouragement for our budding writers out there, we’re not sure what is!

Her novels have been parodied, studied, turned into films and stage productions and flat out imitated hundreds upon hundreds of times! We cannot stress what a huge figure in popular culture, Jane Austen has become. If you have not read her work, we guarantee you have at least seen it parodied on Family Guy… or perhaps you’ve seen the bollywood remake Bride and Prejudice? Either way, you must read some Austen if you’ve not had the pleasure… she really is such a treat! If you are unable to get to your local library, check out this great resource: http://www.austen.com/novels.htm

Today, we hope our readers will pay homage to this wonderful writer by thoroughly observing the relationships around you… remember, no matter how insignificant the
“little details” might seem, Jane Austen would have noticed them!

Write on in peace, Ms. Austen!

Happy Deathday Mr. Hemingway!

On July 2nd, in 1961, American writer Ernest Hemingway was found in his Idaho home, with a self inflicted gunshot wound through the head. He was 61 years old and is remembered today as a brilliant writer, a WWI veteran and an acclaimed journalist. 

During the twenties, Hemingway became a member of the group of expatriate Americans in Paris, which greatly influenced his first notable work, The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Hemingway’s lucid prose and sparse dialogue undeniably exerted a powerful influence on American and British fiction in the 20th century. Some of our favorite Hemingway novels include For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea, and his collection of short stories published in 1932 Death in the Afternoon. However, we would have to say our ultimate favorite long format piece by Hemingway, is without question A Moveable Feast. If you’ve not read it, we are hesitant to say much about it and encourage every aspiring and working writer alike to READ THIS BOOK!

It may surprise some of you to know that our favorite Hemingway short story is only 6 words long and is said to be akknowledged by many to be his greatest work of all:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Brilliant!

Today we encourage our readers to stay up all night brooding and reminiscing on adventures gone by, writing and (responsibly) drinking. Challenge yourselves, write a short story in just six words!

Write on in peace, Mr. Ernest Hemingway.

Happy Deathday Mr. Forster!

On this day, in 1970, one of our favorites from the Bloomsbury Group, E.M. Forster (Edward Morgan Forster) died of stroke at the ripe old age of 91.

Mr. Forster, as we’ve said above, was a member of the Bloomsbury Group, which also included, writer Virginia Woolf and the well known art critic, Clive Bell.

Though you may know his name for his most successful work, which is undoubtedly, Howard’s End, you may also be familiar with the titles of some of his earlier works, which include Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905), The Longest Journey (1907), and A Room with a View (1908), (which is incidentally, one of our favorite films!)

Forster often wrote about the difficulties of class and the human struggle to find one’s place. As someone who was forced to repress his sexuality all his life, it is easy to read between the lines and see another human struggle he was expressing simultaneously.

In fact, one of our very favorite works by Forster is his novel, Maurice, which was published posthumously (but written in 1913) and has also since been made into a film. Maurice examines a homosexual relationship between two men, and follows their extremely different life choices throughout adulthood. It is said that when the manuscript was discovered after his death, there was a note atop it which read “Publishable, but worth it?” Keep in mind, when he wrote this in 1913, England was still reeling from the “Oscar Wilde scandal”.

Forster also contributed much to the nonfiction genre and wrote a plethora of essays, which are often used in college classrooms today. Perhaps the most noted and influential of these is the volume of criticism Aspects of the Novel, the text of the Clark Lectures which Forster delivered in 1927. This work advances a theory of characterization and of “pattern and rhythm” in the novel. Forster asserts that “characters are either flat - types or caricatures, particularly useful in comedy - or round - capable of surprising the reader, yet in a totally convincing fashion.” We strongly encourage any and all writers of fiction out there to take a look at this collection and add it to your arsenal of craft.

On the title page of Howard’s End, Forster had placed the phrase “Only connect.” It is Forster’s instruction to people whose greatest failure, as he sees it, is their reluctance to destroy the barriers of prejudice and social intolerance that have risen to divide them.

So, our suggestion to you all today is to remember Mr. Forster by going out there in the world and “connecting”. Say hello to someone you normally wouldn’t. Write about your own prejudices, examine them, observe them in others.

Write on in peace, Mr. Forster!

Happy Deathday Mr. Nash!

On May 19th in 1971, one of America’s finest lyric writers and poets died of Crohn’s disease at the age of 68. It was once said by the New York Times that Ogden Nash’s “droll verse with its unconventional rhymes made him the country’s best-known producer of humorous poetry”.

While the volume of his work may not be as great as some other epic poets of our time, his contribution to popular culture can certainly not go unnoticed. You may recall this famous line, used in the 1971 film adaptation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”; “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker”. Well, that little gem was written by none other than Mr. Ogden Nash. 

It may interest you all to know that Mr. Nash was a Harvard dropout who, having studied and become frustrated with the style of 18th century Romantic poetry, got his big break when he teamed up two Doubleday coworkers to produce Born in a Beer Garden; or, She Troupes to Conquer, which made fun of classic literature.

Nash was elected to both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and National Institute of Arts and Letters. During the 1950s he wrote more frequently for the children’s market, with such titles as The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus (1957), Custard the Dragon (1959), and a personal favorite, Girls are Silly (1962). He also wrote for television productions of Peter and the Wolf and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Our all time favorite collection by Nash is undoubtedly Hard Lines, his first major work which was published in 1931. If you have never read Nash, we highly suggest you dash out to your local library or check him out online here.

Ogden Nash frequently wrote about his experiences babysitting his grandchildren. Today, pay close attention to the children in your life. Observe them, quote them, dedicate a story or poem to them. If there are no children in you life currently, then we challenge you to spend the day with your inner child.

Write on in peace, Mr. Nash!

Happy Deathday Ms. Alcott

On this day in 1888, American author, Louisa May Alcott died at the age of 55 from what some experts say may have been mercury poisoning. She is buried at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, MA.

Alcott is best remembered for her novel, Little Women, but if one takes a look at her complete works, they will find it is quite extensive. In fact, one of our favorite Alcott works is one of her earlier novels entitled Moods, which was published in 1865. Also, not as well known as Little Women, but equally as delightful a read are her various collection of short stories. We encourage our readers to take a look at Morning Glories and Other Stories, published in 1867 and Lulu’s Library, which is comprised of stories written between 1886 and 1889. 

We felt is was worth mentioning here that Alcott began writing from a very early age and even worked as a teacher and sometimes writer for the Atlantic Monthly. It is always interesting to us to hear of a now famous writer’s humble beginnings. 

As a side note, and neato trivia fact, Alcott’s first book was Flower Fables (published in 1854), and was actually written for Ralph Waldo Emerson’s daughter, Ellen. 

Enjoy your Sunday. Kick back with a nice cuppa and crack open some Alcott… get lost in a world of petticoats, rich description and inky recollections of New England.

Write on in peace, Ms. Alcott!

Happy Deathday Messrs. Milne and Galsworthy

On January 31st in 1956, Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne died of a stroke. On the same day in 1933, British author John Galsworthy died in England at the age of 65.

Alan Alexander Milne, most well known for his tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff, was primarily a playwright and authored several novels. as well as some non fiction works including his autobiography. Unfortunately, it seems much of his work was overshadowed by the success of Winnie the Pooh.

After graduating from Cambridge in 1903, Milne submitted some humorous verse and essays to London magazine, Punch, and joined the staff as assistant editor by 1906! Over the course of his career, Milne published over thirty plays and even tried his hand at screenwriting. Our favorite play by Milne, though seldom performed these days, is The Ivory Door, a three-act play published in 1929.

We definitely encourage our readers to seek out some Milne’s lesser known novels and poetry collections. It’s always interesting to read what else “children’s authors” have to say about life.

John Galsworthy, like Milne, wrote plays as well as novels. He is perhaps most famous for his epic work, The Forsyte Saga (1906- 1921) and its sequels A Modern Comedy and End of the Chapter.

The Forsyte Saga is like candy to any lover of Victorian literature and lifestyle… delicious! It has been adapted for the screen and the stage several times over and we believe, it has served as inspiration for all manner of televised drama and dare we say it… soap opera!

While we do love the SAGA… it is actually one of his plays that remains one of our favorite works by Galsworthy. The Skin Game, which was later adapted and directed for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock, was performed in 1920 at the St. Martin’s Theatre in London.  If you’ve not had a chance to read this play, it is an exhilarating read and one we highly recommend.

In 1932, Galsworthy was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. And it is absolutely no wonder… If you are passionate and enjoy criticism of social injustice in Victorian society…you will love this author! Galsworthy’s descriptive details and charming voice will seduce you instantly into the world of Soames Forsyte.

Today, think about these two highly influential writers as you go about your own daily writing rituals. Both authors, in their own distinct way, created little universes for us to frolic through and rummage around in. Why not try your hand at it… create a little universe of your own and document meticulously what you find there.

Write on in peace, Messrs Milne and Galsworthy!

A Tall Order Today… Teasdale, Frost and Frame

On this day, January 29th, three absurdly talented writers died in 1933, 1963 and 2004 respectively. American poet Sara Teasdale committed suicide in new York when she overdosed on sleeping pills. American poet Robert Frost died of natural causes in Boston at the age of 88. New Zealand born writer Janet Frame died in Dunedin after succumbing to Leukemia. She was 79 years old.

Sara Teasdale published her first volume of poetry, Sonnets to Duse, and Other Poems, at the age of 23 and was rather well received by critics who commended her mastery over lyrical verse. Ms. Teasdale was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1918 for her work Love Songs. If you are unfamiliar with her hauntingly beautiful poetry, please follow this link to get better acquainted. Our favorite body of work by Teasdale is Rivers to the Sea, published in 1915.

It is a shame that she ended her life so abruptly at the age of 49 - we would have loved to read her work as she matured. Teasdale was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 1994.

Now, onto Frost. Robert Frost is one of the most recognized names in American literature and it’s no wonder… reading his poetry is like viewing a landscape or a painting… there’s always more to see.

In 1912, at almost forty years old, it may surprise you to know that he had only a few poems published and Frost made a decision to move his family to England where he took a chance at living life as a poet. Lucky for him, this gamble turned out to be successful and in 1913, he published “A Boy’s Will” which was extremely well received. By the time he returned to the States, he had published North of Boston and like Salinger, he was quite embarrassed by his sudden fame. Frost received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1924, 1931, 1937 and again in 1943. He was also awarded the Emerson Thoreau Medal in 1958.

There is something to take away from every one of his poems, but perhaps his most famous will always be our favorite;  “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”!

Janet Frame is the author of over ten novels, several short stories including autobiographical works and two incredible volumes of poetry. There is just far too much biographical information for us to reprint here… she lived a full and unusual life. The film An Angel at my Table is based on the life of Ms. Frame. And we highly recommend her autobiography, published in 1989. 

We will say, that her unique experiences in the mental health system and the various tragedies suffered in her youth, certainly have a place in her writing. Owls Do Cry  was her first novel, published in 1957, was written over the course of four years, following her release from Seacliff Lunatic Asylum where she was being treated for schizophrenia. It would later be revealed that she did not suffer from schizophrenia at all.

While all of Frame’s novels are incredible reads not to be missed, we must recommend a volume of poetry published in 1967 called The Pocket Mirror… You will discover senses you never knew you had. The imagery Frame uses to evoke the tumultuous nature of the agony within the human mind is spine tingling and sometimes… a little sinister.

Today, keep these three poets in mind… while vastly different in style, all three explored similar themes… love, loss and sometimes a little lunacy. Read a poem by each poet and then add one of your own to the mix! Host a reading tonight with some friends… read a poem a piece. 

Write on in peace, Ms. Teasdale, Mr. Frost and Ms. Frame!