A to Z O: “O Captain! My Captain!” By Walt Whitman (1865)

“O Captain! My Captain!” By Walt Whitman (1865)

Bonus: 

Pretty sure I already used the Robin Williams one for this, so here's the first Youtube hit for "Captain".

Summary: Abe Lincoln died.

Commentary:  This was in the original 15MAD set two years ago, but I think it was sandwiched with a few others. For today, just the famous poem by itself.

Syllable count is all over the place, but there is a fixed rhyme scheme: AABBCDEC

I think the thing that stands out about this poem the most is the historical context. It's cool to have this first hand artistic account of a famous historical event. I don't want to say there aren't any about more modern events like 9/11, the fall of the Berlin Wall, etc., but this is certainly the most famous. I'd argue they're valuable as a window into how people felt at/about the time.

Second, the face that there was a famous poet who cared enough about the president to write a popular poem about his death. No one would bother for Biden. Trump might get some, but they'll probably fade. Maybe Obama could've gotten one. Probably not Bush. 

4/5, I hate slant rhymes. 

A to Z 2026: N: “Nuns Fret Not…” by William Wordsworth

 A to Z 2026: N: “Nuns Fret Not…” by William Wordsworth

Bonus: 

Studio C is my guilty pleasure

Summary: Sometimes it's nice to just sit in your room.  

Commentary:

1. This is a sonnet.

2. It has the word "sonnet" in it!

    "Within the Sonnet’s scanty plot of ground;"  

3. I agree that it's nice to have a small room to sit in. I've told my wife I would live in our shed if I could. I remember my dorm/first apartments, and it was kind of nice that all of "your" space was one room. Made it easier to keep things organized. 

A to Z 2026: M: “My peace is gone/ My heart is heavy” from Goethe’s Faust, translated by Richard Stokes (2005)

 M: “My peace is gone/ My heart is heavy” from Goethe’s Faust, translated by Richard Stokes (2005)

 Got hacked today. Will finish later. 

A to Z 2026: L: “Let us begin and carry up this corpse,” (A Grammarian’s Funeral) by Robert Browning (1855)

 L: “Let us begin and carry up this corpse,” (A Grammarian’s Funeral) by Robert Browning (1855)

Bonus: 

What if the grammarian just popped up and was alive?

Summary: He died as he lived, learning stuff.

Commentary: Tonight, I learned two new words:

Crofts=farm

Thorpes=small village.

I think there are some Thorpes near me, now that I think about it...

A to Z 2026: "Katherina say..." from Goethe's Faust (1790)

 A to Z 2026: "Katherina say..." from Goethe's Faust (1790)

Bonus: 

-or-

Summary: The devil to sing a sexy song to help the guy whose soul he bought get laid.

Commentary: Another short one, let's just have the whole thing:

Kathrina say,

Why lingering stay

At dawn of day

Before your lover's door?

Maiden, beware,

Nor enter there,

Lest forth you fare,

A maiden never more.

 

Maiden take heed!

Reck well my rede!

Is't done, the deed?

Good night, you poor, poor thing!

The spoiler's lies, His arts despise,

Nor yield your prize,

Without the marriage ring!

(The previous line indicates that this is Mephistopheles singing while he plays guitar. I fucking love Faust.)  

This is basically just the original Futurama finale.

"Reck well my rede!" is a fantastic line.

Some Fruits of Solitude By William Penn (1682) Part 16: Caution and Conduct, Reparation, Conversation, Eloquence, Temper, Truth, Justice, and Secrecy (118-148)

Some Fruits of Solitude By William Penn (1682) Part 16: Caution and Conduct, Reparation, Conversation, Eloquence, Temper,  Truth, Justice, and Secrecy (118-148)

Bonus: 

Sorry, ladies. The Tick has a wife, and her name is Justice.

Summary: Hey, remember these?

Commentary: 

118-120: Just be chill with people you meet.

119: Apologize, don't make excuses. (Someday, people will learn all the stuff in these 400+year old books. Until then, we'll recycle the same 12 things for self help books.)

128: Don't waste your time talking to people if you don't have a reason.

131: "If thou thinkest twice, before thou speakest once, thou wilt speak twice the better for it." We got a regular Ben Franklin over here.

142: Even if you're right, you just make your cause look bad if you're a hot head.

145: Don't believe, or spread, rumors.

A to Z 2026 J: “Jamie, come try me” by Robert Burns (1791?)

 “Jamie, come try me” by Robert Burns (1791?)

Bonus: 

The poem!

Summary: COME AT ME, BRO! (But with kisses.)

Commentary: Uhoh, drunkish blogging. This is a fun one. And very readable for Burns.

6/5 feet per line. Most of them rhyme we "E" except the loves.

So much BURNS! The other options were mostly Jehova...

3/5