Well Versed: Learn English Through Poetry: Recent Episodes
Daniel Ranson
Welcome to Well Versed: learn English through poetry. I'm Daniel, and each episode I'll be discussing a famous English poem. The discussion is designed to be accessible for intermediate and advanced English learners, with full transcriptions available at wellversedpoetrypod.wordpress.com. Thanks for listening!
Hello and welcome to Well Versed: Learn English through Poetry. For a full transcription, go to wellversedpoetrypod.wordpress.com Our poem today is by Emily Dickinson, "I started Early - Took my Dog"
I started Early – Took my Dog – And visited the Sea – The Mermaids in the Basement Came out to look at me –
And Frigates – in the Upper Floor Extended Hempen Hands – Presuming Me to be a Mouse – Aground – opon the Sands –
But no Man moved Me – till the Tide Went past my simple Shoe – And past my Apron – and my Belt And past my Boddice – too –
And made as He would eat me up – As wholly as a Dew Opon a Dandelion's Sleeve – And then – I started – too –
And He – He followed – close behind – I felt His Silver Heel Opon my Ancle – Then My Shoes Would overflow with Pearl –
Until We met the Solid Town – No One He seemed to know – And bowing – with a Mighty look – At me – The Sea withdrew –
Welcome to Well Versed! Learn English in company with its greatest writers. Full transcription available for free at wellversedpoetrypod.wordpress.com.
Today's poem is "He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven" by W.B. Yeats.
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths, Enwrought with golden and silver light, The blue and the dim and the dark cloths Of night and light and the half-light, I would spread the cloths under your feet: But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
Welcome back to Well Versed! Full transcription available at wellversedpoetrypod.wordpress.com Our poem this time is 'I So Liked Spring' by Charlotte Mew.
I so liked Spring last year Because you were here; – The thrushes too – Because it was these you so liked to hear – I so liked you.
This year’s a different thing, – I’ll not think of you. But I’ll like the Spring because it is simply Spring As the thrushes do.
Welcome to Well Versed: learn English through poetry. A full transcription of this episode can be found at wellversedpoetrypod.wordpress.com. This month, our poem is "I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud" by William Wordsworth. I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.
Welcome to Well Versed: learn English through poetry. For a full transcription of this episode please visit https://wellversedpoetrypod.wordpress.com/ This episode, our poem is Fire and Ice by Robert Frost. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.