A to Z 2026 Poetry Y: “Ye Mariners of England” by Thomas Campbell (~1800)

Y: “Ye Mariners of England” by Thomas Campbell (~1800)

Bonus: 

 

Don't you hate when someone wrote a better version of your poem a couple decades earlier?

Summary: WOODEN SHIPS AND IRON MEN!

Commentary: "Hearts of Oak" did it better.  

A to Z 2026 Poetry X: “XXIII” from The Psalms (American Standard Version, 1901)

“XXIII” from The Psalms (American Standard Version, 1901)

Bonus: 

 

Hank Hill was right.

 

 

Summary: The Lord Jehovah is my shepherd.

Commentary:  The American Standard Version is mostly just the KJV with "The Lord" swapped for Jehovah. 

Also, shepherds take care of sheep (partially) so they can kill and eat them. Why do you want a god to be your shepherd? Wouldn't you prefer to remain uneaten?

I am pleased with how little I had to cheat for X this year. 

A to Z 2026 W: “What Think You I Take My Pen in Hand?” by Walt Whitman (1860)

 A to Z 2026 W: “What Think You I Take My Pen in Hand?” by Walt Whitman (1860)

Bonus: https://www.facebook.com/100064035043542/videos/celebrity-jeopardy-calista-flockhart-nicolas-cage-sean-connery-snl/338122197445248/

WHY IS THIS NOT ON YOUTUBE 

Summary: It's short, I'm just gonna paste the whole thing here:

What think you I take my pen in hand to record?

The battle-ship, perfect-model'd, majestic, that I saw pass the

offing to-day under full sail?

The splendors of the past day? or the splendor of the night that

envelops me?

Or the vaunted glory and growth of the great city spread around me? --no;

But merely of two simple men I saw to-day on the pier in the midst

of the crowd, parting the parting of dear friends,

The one to remain hung on the other's neck and passionately kiss'd him,

While the one to depart tightly prest the one to remain in his arms.

 Commentary:  

This seemed appropriate for this blog. 

"They were friends."

 

I got to see Mozart's Requirm live this weekend.

 The song that uses "Dies Irae."

It was cool, but I still like the Verdi better. 

A to Z 2026 Poetry V: “Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field one Night” by Walt Whitman (1865)

V: “Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field one Night” by Walt Whitman (1865) 

Bonus: 

Get 'em, Casey

Summary: Keeping vigil over your dead son.

Commentary: 

"One look I but gave which your dear eyes return’d with a look I shall never forget," is a great line.

  

A to Z 2026 Poetry U: “Up the airy mountain…” from “The Fairies” by William Allingham (1850)

 “Up the airy mountain…” from “The Fairies” by William Allingham (1850)

 
 Bonus: 

I really thought he just said "FAIRIES" not "FAIRYGODPARENTS"

Summary: There are fairies in the countryside.

Commentary:  

A long one tonight. ABCBDEFE scheme (mostly), no set feet.

Fairies are a good poem theme. They lend themselves to poetic whimsy. 

A to Z 2026 T: “Tell me, Muse…” Various translation of the opening of the Odyssey

T: “Tell me, Muse…” Various translation of the opening of the Odyssey

Bonus: 

Shaft!

Summary: I'm talkin' 'bout a wanderin' man.

Commentary: 

Something a little different today. "Tell me, Muse" is under the index for T, but I thought it'd be fun to look at some other translations.

The Butcher/Lang translation is the one in T5FSOB, and and has largely been superseded.

Fitzgerald and Fagles are broadly respected as readable, but accurate, Lattimore as the most faithful, and Wilson as the hip new choice.

 I did all of Fitzgerald translation two summers ago on the blog, and I enjoyed it. Looking at them side-by-side, there is a unique (which always makes me think mistranslated) element in "Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story" bold not appearing in other translations. I can see how it works in the singer/storyteller sense.

Lattimore feels a little stilted to me. I believe he's mimicking the Greek here, but it's not clicking for me. I might get into it if I read another 20 pages.

Fagles is rocking some fun repetition/alliteration: 

Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns
 driven time and again off course, once he had plundered
 the hallowed heights of Troy. 

Wilson is sticking out to me with calling Troy a "town." I like the break after the first line: Tell me about a complicated man.

It's a nice direct intro.