Shakespeare's Sonnet 116, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds"

In an appearance on The Dick Cavett Show, Sir Lawrence Olivier is enticed to recite a poem. He chooses Shakespeares's Sonnet 116 from memory. The recitation begins around minute 4:40; a true model of effective oral interpretation.

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Friday Funnies: The Bard & the Librarian

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Celebrating the Spoken Word: "Let me not to the marriage of true minds"

Since today is the birthday of The Bard of Avon, what better way to celebrate the spoken word that to hear one of Shakespeare's sonnets?

In an appearance on The Dick Cavett Show, Sir Lawrence Olivier is enticed to recite a poem. He chooses Shakespeares's Sonnet 116 from memory. The recitation begins around minute 4:40; a true model of effective oral interpretation.

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Friday Funnies: Oh, the Drama!

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Monday Music: Blow, Blow Thou Bitter Wind (John Rutter)

Just because it is the middle of January, here is some winter music. The lyrics are from Shakespeare
(As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII), and the music by John Rutter.

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April Is Poetry Month: Shakespeare's Horse

During the month of April, in honor of National Poetry Month, I am re-posting poems that I have written and shared on this blog. This one is from October 18, 2011. It is appropriate to honor Shakespeare this month because tomorrow, April 23, is the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death in 1616. He was born somewhere around this date in 1564. The only documentation we have of his birth is his baptism day, April 26, 1564.

The following poem was written a few years ago after reading Shakespeare's Sonnet 50 which you may read for yourself here.

Shakespeare's Horse

(In response to Sonnet 50)

Magnificent was the beast

Who carried our noblest poet,

The one who gave voice to humanity's woes and triumphs;

Whose song would be heard for ages to come

And whose words would set the standard

For a new era.

Perhaps it was a country lane,

Or it may have been a London side street

That they traveled that day.

"Beast of burden" is too trite a term

For the equine essence

Who collaborated in the Bard's journey.

The man bore within his heart

All the joys and sorrows of a people,

And enough dreams of love and despair

   to fill the world.

It was not the first time

That a four-legged creature

Carried humanity's hopes

Along an earthly road.

Which is why one is jolted

Disappointed

And dismayed

To hear of the poet thoughtlessly kicking

A bloody spur

Into the side

Of his creature companion.

            How unlike a god.

But here is that redeeming moment seen

Which covers many doubts that might have been:

The horse's groan

Resonated with the poet's own grief

And gave voice to his unutterable heart-felt emotion.

It brought the man to himself

To live in the moment

On the road,

On the journey,

Bearing his own burden.

And the groan shared by man and beast

Spoke more than all the words that would come

From the acclaimed poet's pen.

Charles Kinnaird

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Andy Griffith: A Life Well Spent

I know I've posted two videos this week, but I must post just one more - not a music video this time, but one of Andy Griffith's famous homespun monologues. Andy Griffith died this week, and there has been an outpouring of comments all over the internet. People have been posting pictures from The Andy Griffith Show and talking about what an influence the man has had. One of my friends shared a very nice article about "Andy Griffith's kinder gentler community" that you can read here.

I grew up watching The Andy Griffith Show. When it was first run in prime time, I was exactly the same age as Opie. I think that made me pay close attention whenever Sheriff Taylor said something to his son, Opie. The truth is, many people were drawn to the town of Mayberry. Since it was first aired, The Andy Griffith Show has never been off the air. It has lived on in syndication, to the delight of many. How many of you have your favorite episodes? How many of you get a chuckle just by thinking of the interaction between Barney and Gomer?

Several years ago after Don Knotts died, I watched an interview with Andy Griffith, He made the comment that "Nobody could do what Don did -- many have tried, but no one has been able to do what he did." Likewise, no one else could do what Andy Griffith did. He brought delight to many in celebrating small town life with it's quirky citizens, and gave us all a wholesome image of a father and son, who found time to walk down to the fishing hole on a slow summer day, and who spent time teaching his son what was important in life. May he never leave the airwaves!

Before he was Sheriff Taylor, Andy Griffith made a name for himself with some homespun monologues. Because I love Shakespeare as well as Andy, I thought I would share Andy Griffith's rendition of Hamlet.