Medieval Book Club: The Discarded Image by C.S. Lewis

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C.S. Lewis, Inklings, Medieval Book Club, Medieval Literature, Medieval Model, Medievalist, Renaissance Literature, The Discarded Image

Welcome to the third Medieval Book Club post on this blog. Here I will share some of my thoughts on the book, some observations on the material itself, and open a few questions toward you, the reader.

In case you missed it, for April we’re going to be reading two Anglo-Saxon Poems: Exodus & Daniel. Those poems are ones you can read free online, just follow the link to my preview post and you will find the link there to the poems. I hope you can join me for next month’s discussion as well, and I’ll be keeping this going all year long with posts on every third Thursday of each month in 2017.

My Thoughts: I knew, from the table of contents, that this book would not end up being what I had expected. My expectation was a book that introduced readers to some of Lewis’ own thoughts and insights on major literary works from the Medieval and Renaissance eras. Something that you would expect to find in an introductory course on the topic, sort of a guide through the books that everyone should start with when reading in those time periods. And boy, was I far off the mark. Yet I have never been so glad to have been so wrong, because this turned out to be a fun, engaging, and insightful read!

There were many quotes that stood out to me as I read the book but, unfortunately, I am not a great note taker nor a highlighter as I read so they have all vanished from my memory bank. I am hoping some of you can share some of your favorite quotes. But one in particular, very early in the book, struck me as interesting and so I diligently went back to the book and found it again to share:

“Every writer, if he possibly can, bases himself on an earlier writer, follows an auctour: preferably a Latin one. This is one of the things that differentiate the period almost equally from savagery and from our modern civilization. In a savage community you absorb your culture, in part unconsciously, from participation in the immemorial pattern of behaviour, and in part by word of mouth, from the old men of the tribe. In out own society most knowledge depends, in the last resort, on observation. But the Middle Ages depended predominantly on books.”

When you think of the Middle Ages, odds are you don’t think of a bookish culture. Or, at least, you didn’t until you read this book. I know I certainly did not, as the literacy rate was certainly not as high as it would be today. Yet it also makes some sense. You see a lot of works being generated which refer back to, draw upon, or modify preexisting works. As Lewis mentioned late in the book, originality and novelty were not valued among writers during that time. They would have been baffled at our current need to write something completely new and fresh rather than building upon the great works that came before us. And this is one place where I, as both a reader and a writer, wish we could shift back toward at least a little. Fairy tale retellings is a popular trend, as is working with placing mythologies in modern settings, but as a whole we fall victim to a “Cult of the New” where we always want something that we’ve never seen before or heard before or read before.

And this was characterized in these quotes:

(discussing how Medieval authors, despite the rarity of books, often presented or repeated things their audience already knew): “One gets the impression that medieval people, like Professor Tolkien’s Hobbits, enjoyed books which told them what they already knew.”

(discussing the prevalence of additions to not-necessarily-original works in the medieval): “One is tempted to say that almost the typical activity of the medieval author consists in touching up something that was already there.”

Another quote I enjoyed, which I rediscovered via a Google search on quotes from this book:

“A good medievalist (A. J. Carlyle) once said in my hearing, ‘The typical Knight of the Middle Ages was far more interested in pigs than in tournaments’.”

This ties in with Lewis’ discussion about how our idea of that era comes from the Romances and Ballads that were not the works that truly characterized the period. They are closest to our modern tastes in terms of the works produced, but they would not have been heralded by the people of that period as being their most important works. So the Arthurian romances, among others, where knights rode from tournament to tournament and sought challenges to prove their bravery were not accurate representations of how things truly were. That absolutely fascinated me, and at the same time makes perfect sense.

All in all, I must echo what Lewis confessed at the end:

“I have made no serious effort to hide the fact that the old Model delights me as I believe it delighted our ancestors. Few constructions of the imagination seem to me to have combined splendour, sobriety, and coherence in the same degree. It is possible that some readers have long been itching to remind me that it had a serious defect; it was not true.”

This book centered around what the people of that time believed and how that Model shaped their perspective toward the world as much as toward their own literary works. This was Lewis’ final book that was published, and it certainly stands as a masterpiece in my opinion, a blending of his lifetime’s achievement as both a Medievalist and as a Christian because in many sections he is able to bring those two things together in presenting that Model. I am often overawed when I read the nonfiction of C.S. Lewis, and I marvel at the brilliant mind that penned so many works. I hope to one day possess a fraction of the knowledge and insight that he had.

So my overall thoughts were very positive. This book was not at all what I expected and the only author I was familiar who had a section in there was Boethius. I had anticipated coverage of the greats like Chaucer, Dante, or Gower and, while they certainly had mentions throughout, as a whole he seemed to touch upon the lesser-known yet still impactful authors who shaped and/or represented the views of the men and women during that period.

What quotes stood out to you? If you were to take an introductory course on Medieval and/or Renaissance Literature, do you think this would be a good book to consider having on the syllabus?

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Book Discussion: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

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A Midsummer Night's Dream, Book Discussion, Book Review, Renaissance, Shakespeare

After over a month to prepare for it, the time has come to discuss this Shakespearian play. Before I dive into my thoughts on the play, here is some background information on the play itself:

Summary of the plot or story
The main plot of Midsummer is a complex farce that involves two sets of couples (Hermia & Lysander and Helena & Demetrius) whose romantic intrigues are confused and complicated still further by entering the forest where Oberon, the King of the Fairies and his Queen, Titania, preside. Puck (or Robin Goodfellow) is a major character who is full of mischief and tricks. Other visitors to the enchanted forest include Bottom the weaver and his friends Snug, Snout, Quince and Flute who want to rehearse their dire but hilarious rendering of the play Pyramus and Thisbe. Themes illustrated in the play are that Love triumphs in the end and the pleasure of Dreaming the Impossible Dream.

Date First Performed
It is believed that A Midsummer Night’s was first performed between 1595 and 1596. In the Elizabethan era there was a huge demand for new entertainment and A Midsummer Night’s Dream would have been produced immediately following the completion of the play.

Date first printed
It is believed that the script was first printed in 1600. As William Shakespeare clearly did not want his work published details of the play would have therefore been noted, and often pirated without his consent, following a performance.

The setting for A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The setting for the drama is Athens in Greece

Theme of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The play is categorised as a Comedy

Most important characters
The most important characters are: Hermia, Lysander, Bottom, Puck, Oberon (King of the Fairies) and Titania (Queen of the Fairies)

History of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Unlike many of his other plays it does not include any historical figures. The feast of John the Baptist was celebrated as an English festival on June 24 (Midsummer Day) It was believed that on Midsummer Night that the fairies and witches held their festival. To dream about Midsummer Night was to conjure up images of fairies and witches and other similar creatures and supernatural events.

William Shakespeare’s Main Source for A Midsummer Night’s Dream
All characters and plot are purely fictitious but Shakespeare may have based parts of the play on The Knight’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer (1340 – 1400)

 

My thoughts on the play:

I remember reading this play years ago and loving it a lot. And it certainly has its moments of subtle humor that demonstrate some of Shakespeare’s genius. However, having read so many of his other plays, this one simply doesn’t measure up. In fact, this would probably fit into a bottom third of his plays, although it would be high in that tier. While the play is not, in itself, a bad play, it is simply not able to live up to the expectations that come from having read so many Shakespearian greats.

I enjoyed the scheme of Oberon and Puck and how their plans all went awry because Puck was told to look for an Athenian man and Oberon didn’t realize there were two of them in the woods that night. I also enjoyed Titania falling in love with a man who was dressed as an ass. The play being performed within a play was interesting, providing some humorous moments, but overall I could have done away with that part and focused more upon the love stories with the main characters. The fact that the fifth act was all the performance was a major let-down for me personally.

So while it was an enjoyable read overall, it is certainly not one that I would recommend to someone unless they are entering into their Shakespearian readings. There are plenty of other great plays to choose from to read that are as entertaining and done far better than this one.

Some of my favorite lines from the play were:

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” Act 1, Scene 1, line 134

“We cannot fight for love, as men may do;/ We should be wooed and were not made to woo./ I’ll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,/ to die upon the hand I love so well.” Act 2, Scene 1, lines 241-244

“When thou wakest, it is thy dear:/ Wake when some vile thing is near.” Act 2, Scene 2, lines 33-34

“When in that moment, so it came to pass,/ Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.” Act 3, Scene 2, lines 32-33

“O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
To set against me for your merriment:
If you we re civil and knew courtesy,
You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must join in souls to mock me too?
If you were men, as men you are in show,
You would not use a gentle lady so;
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes
With your derision! none of noble sort
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
A poor soul’s patience, all to make you sport.” Act 2, Scene 2, lines 145-161

“If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend,
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,
We will make amends ere long,
Else the Puck a liar call.
So, goodnight unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.” Act 5, Scene 1, lines 430-445

 

What about you? Did you enjoy reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream? How many other Shakespearian plays have you read and how did this measure up in your opinion? Any favorite scenes or lines that you’d like to share? Let’s have a conversation about this play!

Let’s Read A Midsummer Night’s Dream

My apologies about a week’s delay on making a decision on the play. I have wrestled with which of the plays to choose, since there was no clear winner in the voting process. I am certain that part of me was hoping someone new would come and cast a vote for something else already elected. And while The Tempest was tempting, I figured Midsummer would serve as a nice, friendly entry point for those who are not avid readers of Shakespeare.

And now, some background information about the play we are about to read together:

Summary of the plot or story
The main plot of Midsummer is a complex farce that involves two sets of couples (Hermia & Lysander and Helena & Demetrius) whose romantic intrigues are confused and complicated still further by entering the forest where Oberon, the King of the Fairies and his Queen, Titania, preside. Puck (or Robin Goodfellow) is a major character who is full of mischief and tricks. Other visitors to the enchanted forest include Bottom the weaver and his friends Snug, Snout, Quince and Flute who want to rehearse their dire but hilarious rendering of the play Pyramus and Thisbe. Themes illustrated in the play are that Love triumphs in the end and the pleasure of Dreaming the Impossible Dream.

Date First Performed
It is believed that A Midsummer Night’s was first performed between 1595 and 1596. In the Elizabethan era there was a huge demand for new entertainment and A Midsummer Night’s Dream would have been produced immediately following the completion of the play.

Date first printed
It is believed that the script was first printed in 1600. As William Shakespeare clearly did not want his work published details of the play would have therefore been noted, and often pirated without his consent, following a performance.

The setting for A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The setting for the drama is Athens in Greece

Theme of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The play is categorised as a Comedy

Most important characters
The most important characters are: Hermia, Lysander, Bottom, Puck, Oberon (King of the Fairies) and Titania (Queen of the Fairies)

History of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Unlike many of his other plays it does not include any historical figures. The feast of John the Baptist was celebrated as an English festival on June 24 (Midsummer Day) It was believed that on Midsummer Night that the fairies and witches held their festival. To dream about Midsummer Night was to conjure up images of fairies and witches and other similar creatures and supernatural events.

William Shakespeare’s Main Source for A Midsummer Night’s Dream
All characters and plot are purely fictitious but Shakespeare may have based parts of the play on The Knight’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer (1340 – 1400)

 

On September 19th I will be posting a recap discussion for this play, sharing some of my favorite lines and scenes and overall thoughts on the play. So dust off your folios and pull out the play. Grab a friend or a merry troupe of players and recite the play aloud (or, if your troupe is imagined, perhaps in your head may suffice) and read some Shakespeare for the next month.

Let’s Read Some Shakespeare

Tags

Plays, Read Shakespeare, Shakespeare

This weekend I checked out a copy of The Hollow Crown DVD from my local library. I am by no means a Shakespearean scholar, and I am pretty sure I still haven’t read all of his plays, much less his sonnets. Yet there is still something timeless about his work that has a certain appeal to me as a reader. This set of movies, performing some of the major historical plays that Shakespeare wrote, has been something that crossed my radar nearly a year ago when I saw a trailer for it. So I was very excited to check out this DVD. But then something concerning happened.

The librarian looked at it and said, “I thought this looked interesting, but don’t you think the language might be a little difficult?”

Of all the professions out there, I would not expect that sort of comment to come from two: English majors and librarians. After all, Shakespeare’s language is not very different from what we speak and write today. The real problem people have with Shakespeare, I fear, is that they don’t like to read words they don’t fully understand. It challenges them to increase their literacy and reading skill and so they spend their time diving into romance novels, New York Times bestsellers, and YA fiction. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with those or the people who read them.

But there is something wrong with avoiding classic works, such as Shakespeare, because they are a little challenging. There are many benefits to reading outside of your comfort zone, at least on occasion. So instead of lamenting the direction I fear our nation is heading in terms of literacy, I thought I should do something to combat it instead.

Today is the first day of August. I propose that we take two weeks (August 15) to select a play of Shakespeare’s to read together and then come back on September 19th to discuss it. That will give us all more than a month to read the play, which is more than sufficient time to get through even the longest of his works.

So here is step one: I’ve created a list with some of the major works of Shakespeare. Vote for one, and only one, option, by leaving a comment. If things are neck-and-neck between only two or three of them, I may do a second vote around the 12th of August to narrow it down.

So I beckon you to join me and let’s commit to read a Shakespearian play together and discuss it. Let’s step outside of our literary comfort zone for a few weeks and give the Bard a chance to let his wordsmith abilities shine.

 

What Shakespearian Play Should We Read?

Romeo and Juliet

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Hamlet

MacBeth

Much Ado About Nothing

The Tempest

King Lear

As You Like It

Othello

Julius Caesar

Henry V

Henry IV, Part 1

The Merchant of Venice

Quiz Maker

 

What if Shakespeare HAD written Old English?

Thijs Porck

Whenever I tell people I study and teach Old English, they react by feeding me their favourite lines of Shakespeare, noting that it is very difficult indeed: “Is this a dagger I see before me? Alas, poor Yorick! Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”.  Indeed, as a little search on Twitter (see the image at the bottom of this post) indicates, the association between William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and Old English (ca 45o-1100) is a widespread myth that deserves to be busted. What better way to do so, than to imagine what it would look like if William Shakespeare HAD written Old English? This blog features my own very first translation of one of Shakespeare’s sonnets into Old English.

Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 18’ in Old English

Sceal ic þē gelīcian tō sumeres dæge?
Þū eart luflīcra ond staþolfæstra.
Rūge windas sceacað þrīmilces dȳrlinge blōstman
Ond sumeres lǣn hæfð eall tō lȳtelne termen.

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Paradise Lost by John Milton

Tags

Blank Verse, Dream of the Rood, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Poetry Month

**Note: King of Ages: A King Arthur Anthology is on sale this weekend. It is completely free on the Kindle for this weekend only so grab a copy, read these 13 short stories set across various time periods (including my own set in Medieval Iceland), and leave a review!

Welcome back to another Scholarly Saturday edition on my blog. Continuing the trend for April, because it is National Poetry Month, I am going to discuss another long poetic work that you should be reading. Because there are so many great ones to choose from, more than ever could be covered in five posts, it is getting even harder to narrow down which works should get the spotlight. Here are the two already completed, in case you missed them:

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti

I would be remiss to go through this month without taking a week to look at Milton. I have known of his work for a long time, but I did not get around to reading Paradise Lost until last year. I absolutely loved it, although it is clearly a poetic work that will take many rereadings to enjoy and appreciate the full depth of information and allusions contained in those pages.

For those who do not know, John Milton was a poet back in the 1600s. He wrote many great poetical works, but his magnum opus was certainly this one. It is a poetic re-imagining of the opening chapters of the book of Genesis concerning the Fall of Man; the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan, leading to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. This poem is arranged into twelve books and runs over 10,000 lines in length.

Did you know that John Milton was blind? The entirety of the poem was composed through dictation, with hired scribes and friends taking down the words he wrote over the course of roughly five years.

The poem itself is written in blank verse. What that means, essentially, is that it follows a pattern for each line, such as iambic pentameter, but that the lines do not rhyme. This is a very popular form for poetry, one that gives the recitation of a work a nice rhythm while allowing the poet freedom of word choice. As a small sample, here are some lines taken from Paradise Lost, a scene regarding the first love of Adam and Eve:

HUS talking, hand in hand alone they passed
On to their blissful bower. It was a place
Chosen by the sov’reign Planter, when he framed
All things to Man’s delightful use; the roof
Of thickest covert was inwoven shade,
Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew
Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side
Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub,
Fenced up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower,
Iris all hues, roses, and jessamine,
Rear’d high their flourished heads between, and wrought
Mosaic; under foot the violet
Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay
Broidered the ground, more coloured than the stone
Of costliest emblem: Other creature here,
Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durst enter none;
Such was their awe of Man. In shadier bower
More sacred and sequestered, though but feigned
Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor nymph,
Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess,
With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs,
Espousèd Eve decked first her nuptial bed
And heavenly quires the hymenean sung,
What day the genial Angel to our sire
Brought her, in naked beauty more adorned,
More lovely than Pandora, whom the Gods
Endowed with all their gifts, and, O! too like
In sad event, when to the unwiser son
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared
Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged
On him who had stole Jove’s authentic fire.
Thus at their shady lodge arrived, both stood,
Both turned, and under open sky adored
The God that made both sky, air, earth and heaven
Which they beheld, the moon’s resplendent globe,
And starry pole: “Thou also madest the night,
Maker Omnipotent; and thou the day,
Which we in our appointed work employed,
Have finished, happy in our mutual help
And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss
Ordained by thee; and this delicious place,
For us too large, where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.
But thou hast promised from us two a race
To fill the earth, who shall with us extol
They goodness infinite, both when we wake
And when we seek, as now, the gift of sleep.”

This said unanimous, and other rites
Observing none, but adoration pure
Which God likes best, into their inmost bower
Handed they went; and eased the putting off
Those troublesome disguises which we wear,
Straight side by side were laid; nor turned, I ween,
Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites
Mysterious of connubial love refused:
Whatever hypocrites austerely talk
Of purity, and place, and innocence,
Defaming as impure what God declares
Pure, and commands to some, leaves free to all.
Our Maker bids increase; who bids abstain
But our destroyer, foe to God and Man?
Hail, wedded Love, mysterious law, true source
Of human offspring, sole propriety
In Paradise, of all things common else!
By thee adult’rous love was driven from men
Among the bestial herds to range; by thee,
Founded in reason, loyal, just and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities
Of father, son, and brother, first were known.
Far be it that I should write thee sin or blame,
Or think the unbefitting holiest place
Perpetual fountain of domestic sweets,
Whose bed is undefiled and chaste pronounced,
Present or past, as saints and patriarchs used!
Here love his golden shafts employs, here lights
His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile
Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendeared,
Casual fruition: nor in court amours
Mixed dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or serenade, which the starved lover sings
To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain.
These lulled by nightingales embracing slept,
And on their naked limbs the flow’ry roof
Showered roses, which the morn repaired. Sleep on,
Blest pair! and, O! yet happiest if ye seek
No happier state, and know to know no more!

The full poem is awesome, if overwhelming at times, and certainly worth reading at least once. I am convinced, though, that this is the sort of poem that gets better each and every time you read through it. And I certainly plan to revisit this one!

For a shorter work today, I thought it would be fitting to share one of my favorite Anglo-Saxon poems, “The Dream of the Rood”. The rood in this poem refers to the cross that Christ is crucified on, which is what makes it a fitting share this week. It is an interesting and imaginative poem that I absolutely loved the first time I read it. I hope you get a chance to enjoy it as well!

http://lightspill.com/poetry/oe/rood.html

Come back next Saturday as I share two more great Anglo-Saxon poems, Beowulf and “The Wanderer”!

Spenserian Stanzas

Tags

Edmund Spenser, Faerie Queen, poetry, Spenserian Stanza, Stanza, Taking Down Goliath

When it comes to writing poetry these days, it seems that the choice of Free Verse is king. People love having the freedom to write the poem how they want, following whatever rhyme and rhythm they desire without criticism. But for hundreds of years the standard was that poetry should have structure and form, following one of many varied patterns that added to the art of the composition. Before the novel was ever a thing, there was poetry in all shapes and sizes. Many great works of literature came in the form of epic poems, and one of those great works was written by a man named Edmund Spenser.

In the late 1500s, Edmund Spenser set out to write 12 books, each one chronicling the adventures of one of Gloriana’s knights. He managed to write six of them, plus a fragment, prior to his death. They follow, in order, Holiness (the Red Cross Knight), Temperance (Sir Guyon), Chastity (Britomart, a female knight), Friendship (Triamond and Cambello), Justice (Artegall), and Courtesy (Calidore). His setting was invented as the land of Faerie, and its queen Gloriana. And to tell these stories, he invented his own poetic structure which is now known as the Spenserian Stanza.

Each stanza consists of nine lines, the first eight lines having five stresses and the last having six. The rhyme pattern is ababbcbcc. The Faerie Queen books, Edmund Spenser himself, and the Spenserian stanzas were all unknown to me until a few years ago when a Professor introduced me to the Faerie Queen. And I instantly became a fan.

The imagery and flow of Spenser’s language was everything I had hoped to find in an epic poem.  Here is a sample from the battle that the Red Cross Knight has with the dragon in Canto 11 of the first book:

The Knight ‘gan fairly Couch his steddy Spear,
And fiercely ran at him with rigorous Might:
The pointed Steel arriving rudely there,
His harder Hide would neither peirce nor bite,
But glauncing by, forth passed forward right;
Yet sure amoved with so puissant Push,
The wrathful Beast about him turned light,
And him so rudely passing by, did brush
With his long Tail, that Horse and Man to ground did rush.

Both Horse and Man up lightly rose again,
And fresh Encounter towards him address’d:
But th’ idle Stroke yet back recoil’d in vain,
And found no place his deadly Point to rest.
Exceeding Rage enflam’d the furious Beast,
To be avenged of so great Despight;
For, never felt his imperceable Breast
So wondrous Force from hand of living Wight;
Yet had he prov’d the power of many a puissant Knight.

Then with his waving Wings displayed wide,
Himself up high he lifted from the ground,
And with strong Flight did forcibly divide
The yielding Air, which nigh too feeble found
Her flitting parts, and Element unsound,
To bear so great a weight he cutting way
With his broad Sails, about him soared round
At last, low stouping with unwieldy sway,
Snatch’d up both Horse and Man, to bear them quite away.

The archaic language aside, the poetic form here is perfectly suited for narrating an epic encounter such as this. Which is why, when I set out to write my own short epic, I decided to use the same form as Edmund Spenser. This poem, “Taking Down Goliath”, is still seeking a home to be published, but I thought it this post would be a fitting place to share a stanza or two.

A dark figure towers over the lines
of King’s standing army, covering ground
swiftly with each great stride. Armor entwines
his large body. His balding head is crowned
with steel plated, encircling its round
face. Its scarlet eye, as big as a fist,
scans through the crowd of men gathered around.
A more fearsome cyclops does not exist,
wearing white bones of men he slayed upon his wrist.

His massive maw opens, a vast bellow
bursts forth, “Is there no man here who is bold
enough to accept my charge, no fellow
who thinks their might meets mine? I hold
no tricks, no deceitful lies have I told,
only seeking a soul who will wager
his life against mine. Come forward, uphold
your glorious kingdom against nature.
Grapple and spar with me, come forth into danger.”

I was told, when I wrote “Taking Down Goliath”, that it was an impressive piece of work (over 200 lines in length) but that there was no real market for epic fantasy poetry. And so far it has been a challenge to find a place for the poem to get published. But I am adamant in my conviction that there is a market out there and, once I find it, I may even try my hand at a truly epic poem like Spenser and the great poets of old used to write.

What is your favorite long poem, epic or otherwise? Along with The Faerie Queene, I also enjoy Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Troilus and Criseyde.