Pages

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Sunday stamps meme - today: poets. Maximum card with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, for What's worth as today's entry from me, a Tallfellow. Also, stamps with Mihai Eminescu, the national poet of Romania, of Republic of Moldova (a historic Romanian land) and pretty much of the other about 10 million Romanians from diaspora ("from outside Romania")

"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, andEvangeline. He was also the first American to translate Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy and was one of the five Fireside Poets."

"Longfellow was the most popular poet of his day[130] and is generally regarded as the most distinguished poet the country had produced. As a friend once wrote to him, "no other poet was so fully recognized in his lifetime". [131] Many of his works helped shape the American character and its legacy, particularly with the poem "Paul Revere's Ride". [114] He was such an admired figure in the United States during his life that his 70th birthday in 1877 took on the air of a national holiday, with parades, speeches, and the reading of his poetry."


=====================

Have you ever heard of Mihai Eminescu?


"Mihai Eminescu (Romanian pronunciation: [miˈhaj emiˈnesku]; born Mihail Eminovici; January 15, 1850 – June 15, 1889) was a Romantic poet, novelist and journalist, often regarded as the most famous and influential Romanian poet.[1] 
Eminescu was an active member of the Junimea literary society and he worked as an editor for the newspaper Timpul ("The Time"), the official newspaper of the Conservative Party (1880–1918).[2] 
His first poems volume was published when he was 16 and he went to Vienna to study when he was 19. 
The poet's Manuscripts, containing 46 volumes and approximately 14,000 pages, were offered by Titu Maiorescu as a gift to the Romanian Academy during the meeting that was held on January 25, 1902.[3] 
Notable works include Luceafărul ("Evening Star"), Odă în metru antic (Ode in Ancient Meter), and the five Letters (Epistles/Satires). 
In his poems he frequently used metaphysical, mythological and historical subjects. In general his work was influenced by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer."

"Genius

Eminescu was only 20 when Titu Maiorescu, the top literary critic in 1870 Romania dubbed him "a real poet", in an essay where only a handful of the Romanian poets of the time were spared Maiorescu's harsh criticism. 
In the following decade, Eminescu's notability as a poet grew continually thanks to 
(1) the way he managed to enrich the literary language with words and phrases from all Romanian regions, from old texts, and with new words that he coined from his wide philosophical readings
(2) the use of bold metaphors, much too rare in earlier Romanian poetry
(3) last but not least, he was arguably the first Romanian writer who published in all Romanian provinces and was constantly interested in the problems of Romanians everywhere. 
He defined himself as a Romantic, in a poem addressed To My Critics (Criticilor mei), and this designation, his untimely death as well as his bohemian lifestyle (he never pursued a degree, a position, a wife or fortune) had him associated with the Romantic figure of the genius."

"He was soon proclaimed Romania's national poet, not because he wrote in an age of national revival, but rather because he was received as an author of paramount significance by Romanians in all provinces. Even today, he is considered the national poet of RomaniaMoldova, and of the Romanians who live in the Ukrainian part of Bucovina."

"Poetry

His poems span a large range of themes, from nature and love to hate and social commentary. His childhood years were evoked in his later poetry with deep nostalgia.
Eminescu was influenced by the work of Arthur Schopenhauer, and some[who?] have suggested that his most notable poem, "Luceafărul", includes elements of Vedic cosmogony. Eminescu's poems have been translated in over 60 languages. His life, work and poetry strongly influenced the Romanian culture and his poems are widely studied in Romanian public schools.
His most notable poems are:[5]
  • Doina (the name is a traditional type of Romanian song), 1884
  • Lacul (The Lake), 1876
  • Luceafărul (The Evening Star), 1884
  • Floare albastră (Blue Flower), 1884
  • Dorinţa (Desire), 1884
  • Sara pe deal (Evening on the Hill), 1885
  • O, rămii (Oh, Linger On), 1884
  • Epigonii (Epigones), 1884
  • Scrisori (Letters or "Epistles-Satires")
  • Şi dacă (And if...), 1883
  • Odă (în metru antic) (Ode (in Ancient Meter), 1883
  • Mai am un singur dor (I Have Yet One Desire),1883
  • La Steaua (At Star),1886

[edit]Prose

  • Făt-Frumos din lacrimă (Prince Charming, The Tear-Begotten)
  • Geniu pustiu (Empty Genius)
  • Sărmanul Dionis (Wretched Dionis)
  • Cezara (Caesara)"

[edit]

"External links


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminescu


===============
Happy Sunday Stamps meme!


5 comments:

  1. Great post! Longfellow is/was popular in Minneapolis, but I had never heard of the Romanian poet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for the education in Romanian poetry.
    Thank you as always for participating - a good day today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Longfellow's work. Thanks for widening our horizons with the Romanian poets.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Eminescu looks the epitome of a romantic poet. What a shame he did not have a life as long as Longfellow. Maybe you have to pick the right name:-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wonder how many more modern poets are honoured in their time? Very few if any. Eminescu had incredible talent.

    ReplyDelete

My cyberguests: thank you for taking time and mental energy to leave a comment!
Your ongoing feedback is always appreciated.
If you never return, it is my fault for boring (?) you.
If you return, it is your merit to have discovered a blog worth exploring and following. :)