Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
May, by Christina Rossetti

I cannot tell you how it was,
But this I know: it came to pass
Upon a bright and sunny day
When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
[...]
https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, George J. Dance wrote:
>
> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
> May, by Christina Rossetti
>
> I cannot tell you how it was,
> But this I know: it came to pass
> Upon a bright and sunny day
> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
> [...]
> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

Quite excellent...

On 2022-05-05 4:16 p.m., General Zod wrote:
> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, George J. Dance wrote:
>>
>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>
>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>> But this I know: it came to pass
>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>> [...]
>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html
>
> Quite excellent...

It's my favorite poem of hers. I like the way she deals with the
subject, and conveys the sense of loss and hopes dashed so perfectly,
without ever mentioning what happened. Anyone who's had the same
feeling, regardless of circumstances, can identify.

I'm glad I'm archiving these featured poems monthly; not only is that
bringing them to new readers a decade later, but they're forming yet
another list of the very best poems on the blog.

George J. Dance wrote:

> On 2022-05-05 4:16 p.m., General Zod wrote:
>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, George J. Dance wrote:
>>>
>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>
>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>> [...]
>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html
>>
>> Quite excellent...

> It's my favorite poem of hers. I like the way she deals with the
> subject, and conveys the sense of loss and hopes dashed so perfectly,
> without ever mentioning what happened. Anyone who's had the same
> feeling, regardless of circumstances, can identify.

> I'm glad I'm archiving these featured poems monthly; not only is that
> bringing them to new readers a decade later, but they're forming yet
> another list of the very best poems on the blog.

Agreed and seconded....!

George J. Dance wrote:
>
> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
> May, by Christina Rossetti

> I cannot tell you how it was,
> But this I know: it came to pass
> Upon a bright and sunny day
> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
> [...]
> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

Having another read... I thank you for keeping poetry alive and in the public eye, G.D.....

George J. Dance wrote:

> On 2022-05-05 4:16 p.m., General Zod wrote:
>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, George J. Dance wrote:
>>>
>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>
>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>> [...]
>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html
>>
>> Quite excellent...

> It's my favorite poem of hers. I like the way she deals with the
> subject, and conveys the sense of loss and hopes dashed so perfectly,
> without ever mentioning what happened. Anyone who's had the same
> feeling, regardless of circumstances, can identify.

> I'm glad I'm archiving these featured poems monthly; not only is that
> bringing them to new readers a decade later, but they're forming yet
> another list of the very best poems on the blog.

Good find.

George J. Dance wrote:

> On 2022-05-05 4:16 p.m., General Zod wrote:
>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, George J. Dance wrote:
>>>
>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>
>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>> [...]
>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html
>>
>> Quite excellent...

> It's my favorite poem of hers. I like the way she deals with the
> subject, and conveys the sense of loss and hopes dashed so perfectly,
> without ever mentioning what happened. Anyone who's had the same
> feeling, regardless of circumstances, can identify.

> I'm glad I'm archiving these featured poems monthly; not only is that
> bringing them to new readers a decade later, but they're forming yet
> another list of the very best poems on the blog.

Thanks again for helping fight obscurity in poetry.

NancyGene wrote:

>

> "Who has seen the wind?" has been used as the title for a song and a book

Many of us remember Yoko Ono's use of that line for a title of a song:

Who Has Seen The Wind? · Yoko Ono · The Plastic Ono Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3yA3WLVJy4

Will Dockery wrote:

> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, george...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>>
>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>
>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>> But this I know: it came to pass
>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>> [...]
>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

> I suspect that even in New York City, this poet is probably obscure to the average man on the street.

> A typical modern New Yorker is probably much more likely to recognize, say, the poet Charles Bukowski.

> HTH and HAND.

Most of the younger generation see hip hop and slam poetry as the center of the genre...

As a young person about it, in any town you pick.....

George J. Dance wrote:

> On 2022-05-18 8:25 a.m., Will Dockery wrote:
>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, george...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>>>
>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>
>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>> [...]
>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html
>>
>> I suspect that even in New York City, this poet is probably obscure to the average man on the street.
>>
>> A typical modern New Yorker is probably much more likely to recognize, say, the poet Charles Bukowski.

> I sometimes wish I had money to burn on empirical research. Then, rather
> than argue the point, I'd hire a survey company. Ask 1,000 people each
> in Columbus, Manhattan, Toronto, etc.:
> (1) Do you recognize the name Christina Rossetti? (if yes):
> (2) What is Christina Rossetti most famous for? (if "poetry"):
> (3) What is your favorite poem by Christina Rossetti?

> Then we wouldn't have to speculate on how well-known she is.

That would be of great interest, GD....

https://buchtelite.com/13906/opinion/why-nobody-likes-poetry/

************************ It is often thought that poetry is dead and that all the poets are likewise cold in the earth. This is nonsense. We have more poets than ever, and their voluminous works are found in the approximately five million poetry magazines in circulation. The problem is that each publication has a readership of exactly 12.

Why does no one read poetry anymore? Television and the Internet, and the consequent decline in literacy, are the obvious culprits. But I suspect the nature of contemporary poetry is partly to blame.

First, most modern—or I should say postmodern—poetry lacks the archaic accoutrements of rhyme and regular meter (or rhythm). At this point, the educated person may leap from her seat and growl, “Poetry is not supposed to rhyme anymore!” I know. Unrhymed, or blank, verse was a godsend, and Whitman may very well have been god.

The fact that most contemporary poetry lacks rhyme and meter does not make it bad. Sometimes it is very good. But I am not concerned with the quality or necessary evolution of poetry; my concern is with the average person not giving a damn about poets and their highfalutin ways.

Whereas today we sing and hum pop songs, people in the past would chant poetry. *************

>>
>> HTH and HAND.

General-Zod wrote:

> Will Dockery wrote:

>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, george...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>>>
>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>
>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>> [...]
>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

>> I suspect that even in New York City, this poet is probably obscure to the average man on the street.

>> A typical modern New Yorker is probably much more likely to recognize, say, the poet Charles Bukowski.

>> HTH and HAND.

> Most of the younger generation see hip hop and slam poetry as the center of the genre...

> Ask a young person about it, in any town you pick.....

That's definitely true, and Instagram poets such as Robert Drake are also making huge sales even in Walmart and Target book shelves.

W.Dockery wrote:

> General-Zod wrote:

>> Will Dockery wrote:

>>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, george...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>>
>>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>>> [...]
>>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

>>> I suspect that even in New York City, this poet is probably obscure to the average man on the street.

>>> A typical modern New Yorker is probably much more likely to recognize, say, the poet Charles Bukowski.

>>> HTH and HAND.

>> Most of the younger generation see hip hop and slam poetry as the center of the genre...

>> Ask a young person about it, in any town you pick.....

> That's definitely true, and Instagram poets such as Robert Drake are also making huge sales even in Walmart and Target book shelves.

Yep.....

General-Zod wrote:

> W.Dockery wrote:

>> General-Zod wrote:

>>> Will Dockery wrote:

>>>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, george...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>>>
>>>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>>>> [...]
>>>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

>>>> I suspect that even in New York City, this poet is probably obscure to the average man on the street.

>>>> A typical modern New Yorker is probably much more likely to recognize, say, the poet Charles Bukowski.

>>>> HTH and HAND.

>>> Most of the younger generation see hip hop and slam poetry as the center of the genre...

>>> Ask a young person about it, in any town you pick.....

>> That's definitely true, and Instagram poets such as Robert Drake are also making huge sales even in Walmart and Target book shelves.

> Yep.....

Not my favorite poets by a long shot, but I do respect their achievement.

General-Zod wrote:

> Will Dockery wrote:

>> General-Zod wrote:

>>> Will Dockery wrote:

>>>> On Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:59:51 PM UTC-4, george...@yahoo.ca wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Penny's Poetry Blog's featured poem for May:
>>>>> May, by Christina Rossetti
>>>>>
>>>>> I cannot tell you how it was,
>>>>> But this I know: it came to pass
>>>>> Upon a bright and sunny day
>>>>> When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
>>>>> [...]
>>>>> https://gdancesbetty.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-christina-g-rossetti.html

>>>> I suspect that even in New York City, this poet is probably obscure to the average man on the street.

>>>> A typical modern New Yorker is probably much more likely to recognize, say, the poet Charles Bukowski.

>>>> HTH and HAND.

>>> Most of the younger generation see hip hop and slam poetry as the center of the genre...

>>> Ask a young person about it, in any town you pick.....

>> That's definitely true, and Instagram poets such as Robert Drake are also making huge sales even in Walmart and Target book shelves.

> Yep.....

The new generation has a different view of poetry, and that's just how it goes.