Sometimes when I am out and about in London I find that for a few days or even weeks my paths cross with that of a famous or historical figure on numerous and sometimes unexpected occasions and recently I have been bumping into the romantic poet John Keats who died just over 200 years ago.… Continue reading Bumping into John Keats at St. Guy’s Hospital
Tag: Poetry
The Gilt of Cain
I wrote on Monday on one of my favourite Secret Gardens in the City of London, Fen Court. It would be a beautiful little space in any case but is extra special due to its connections with the Abolition of Slavery. One of the works of art has elements of a poem by Lemn Sissay… Continue reading The Gilt of Cain
Coronavirus Diary 15 – Easter and Passover in splendid isolation – How solitude can lead to creativity.
This weekend is Easter (our only 4 day weekend!) for myself and many of us, Passover for many more and Sikhs and Hindu’s have Vaisakhi and in a week or so Ramadan will be starting also. It will be very different this time of course. I must confess I have never enjoyed Easter since 2013… Continue reading Coronavirus Diary 15 – Easter and Passover in splendid isolation – How solitude can lead to creativity.
I loved the girl
I loved the girl with the utmost love of which my soul is capable, and she is taken from me – yet in the agony of my spirit in surrendering such a treasure I feel a thousand times richer than if I had never possessed it.
Quotable Tennyson
Last week I posted on the birthday of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It is little known but this Poet Laureate is actually the ninth most quoted literary figure. Whilst not in the same league as Shakespeare or perhaps as entertaining as Dr. Johnson, it is likely we all are familiar with at least some of… Continue reading Quotable Tennyson
Remembering Alfred, Lord Tennyson on bis birthday
This morning as I write this, or yesterday when this is posted, I was giving an all day tour to a family from New York and we went inside the incredible Westminster Abbey. As we were there 15 minutes before opening time, despite 60 or 70 people being ahead of us, there were hundreds behind… Continue reading Remembering Alfred, Lord Tennyson on bis birthday
John Donne – A forgotten poet and his discovered manuscript.
In the long and rich history of English literature, John Donne is almost forgotten about by many today but in his time he was pioneering. Born into a Catholic family at a time when it was illegal to practice the religion in England, Donne wrote often biting satire on legal corruption, mediocre writers, pig-headed officials… Continue reading John Donne – A forgotten poet and his discovered manuscript.
Paradise Lost – Better to reign in hell than serve in paradise! – Finding the tomb of Milton.
One of the perks of doing guided tours is coming across unexpected treasures. Many of the places I visit are off the usual tourist-track but no matter how many times I go out on walks, I find new things almost every day. A few weeks ago on one such occasion I was scouting out a… Continue reading Paradise Lost – Better to reign in hell than serve in paradise! – Finding the tomb of Milton.
Bunhill Fields – the resting place of some of the biggest names in history.
You might remember a few weeks ago I wrote about the dreadful place Dancing on the Dead at Enon Chapel – The Victorian Sensation! Whilst writing that and out and about on research, I gained the chance to visit Bunhill Fields. Bunhill Fields was once part of the Manor of Finsbury with connections to St Pauls… Continue reading Bunhill Fields – the resting place of some of the biggest names in history.
For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry
The internet is always full of cat videos and cat memes and I thought I would try to raise the bar a little by bringing up the marvellous poem by Christopher Smart, a poet and mystic who led an eventful life at a time when religion and science were competing for the greatest minds in… Continue reading For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry
Stephen Liddell 