The Lark in the Morning
Robert Kehew
This is my first exposure to poetry of this type. All the works of the same period that I have enjoyed have been epics. The historical and biographical information provided for each of the wide variety of troubadours was enough to provide context but did not get in the way of the poetry. The poetry was presented in both untranslated form as well as in English with translations from Robert Kehew, Ezra Pound, and W.D Snodgrass, who each added a distinct voice of their own. I particularly enjoyed Kehew’s translation of “When the Ice and Cold and Snow Retreat” by Guiraut de Bornelh. A well done book!
5/5
Elric of Melnibone
Michael Moorcock
This was one of the best examples of the Sword and Sorcery genre that I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Elric is simultaneously infuriating and sympathetic and the supporting characters, especially Dyvim Tvar the Dragon Master, have plenty of charm.
The pacing is quick and the worldbuilding well incorporated with the action. No “background notes for my DnD campaign” style treatises here! I am so excited to draw some scenes and to read the next book.
5/5
Selected Poems of Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
I like the translations of Chinese poetry but am definitely not well read enough to follow some of the other work. Not as good as T.S. Eliot, but there are still some images that I want to borrow, particularly from Canto XVII.
Pound’s poetry is a scrapbook of words while Eliot’s is a scrapbook of images translated into words. Eliot is easier to just vibe with even if you don't get the references.
If I got what was going on I'd have liked it more but I'm dumb.
3/5
Sappho
Trans. Mary Barnard
Some of the most beautiful poetry on love that feels erotic without being even slightly porny. Sappho understands womanhood better than anyone. This might be what actually gets me to read Greek so that I can enjoy her work in the original.
5/5
Meditations on the Tarot
Anonymous
I knew nothing about Hermeticism or Tarot when I bought this book and was expecting a light introduction into symbolism. I wound up with a massive tome of collected letters that use the cards of the Major Arcana as jumping off points into explorations of Christian and Hermetic ideas. It assumes a familiarity of both Christian thought as well as esotericism. Having the former, I was not completely lost, but I suffered for lack of the latter. Some letters definitely adhered more closely to the cards than others and these were generally the ones I liked best. Quotations were provided and were abundant, so despite this acting as my introduction, I was able to reference other works along with the author, rather than depending on citations. It's a bit dense and I was worried that I wasn't getting much out of it at first, but I think it has been transformative to my thinking and has inspired further reading (of both The Emerald Tablet and St. John of the Cross.)
4/5
