John Donne growing in popularity - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 10, 2005

John Donne growing in popularity

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but John Donne never invented non-stink paint!

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Just an opinion wrote:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but John Donne never invented non-stink paint!

That's a good point...you'd think there would be international conferences about non-stink paint!

Date: Jun 11, 2005

...we ought to soak the Dome in the stuff and see if we can get rid of the stench!

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Outside Observer wrote:

...John Donne never invented non-stink paing...you'd think there would be international conferences about non-stink paint!

There may have been no international conferences about non-stink paint, but Blood, Sweat and Tears did do a song that talks about paint in its lyrics ("ride a painted pony" in the song Spinning Wheel). That paint probably stunk when it got on that pony.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

That was a great report Dr. Lares. Thank you.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Thanks, Jameela. That was great. If you see our friend Monique de Guerre while you're in France, give her our best. That is, if you can distract her from the croissants!

Date: Jun 11, 2005

The only interesting bit of information in your otherwise insignificant post is that you are in Grenoble, home to deceased WWF superstar Andre the Giant.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

WWF Fan wrote:

The only interesting bit of information in your otherwise insignificant post is that you are in Grenoble, home to deceased WWF superstar Andre the Giant.

Troll, significance obviously eludes you.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

WWF=WTF

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Emma wrote:

WWF Fan wrote:
The only interesting bit of information in your otherwise insignificant post is that you are in Grenoble, home to deceased WWF superstar Andre the Giant.
Troll, significance obviously eludes you.

If we played "Family Feud" and asked 100 people to name their favorite poet, Donne wouldn't even make the top 10. The only reason USM people are fixated on that no-talent hack is because of Stringer.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Richard Dawson: After reading your comment I understand now why people give Mississippi credit for being the most ignorant state in the union. If you ever do acquire knowledge above the lower Mississippi level you will look back on your statement and cringe.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Oh to be a no-talent hack whose work is read and admired hundreds of years later! If only we all could have so little talent!

Donne lines which have entered the language so completely people don't even know where they came from:

"Death be not proud"

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee . . ."

Others?

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Richard Dawson wrote:

If we played "Family Feud" and asked 100 people to name their favorite poet, Donne wouldn't even make the top 10. The only reason USM people are fixated on that no-talent hack is because of Stringer.

RD,

If you want to even attempt to have a serious discussion of this topic, or if you think you are even capable of such a discussion, I'm willing. You make the first move. (I suspect, though, that you are simply a troll. If you are not, then your comment indicates that you are incredibly ignorant. I'm not sure which is worse -- ignorance or trolldom.)

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Third Witch wrote:

Oh to be a no-talent hack whose work is read and admired hundreds of years later! If only we all could have so little talent! Donne lines which have entered the language so completely people don't even know where they came from: "Death be not proud" "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee . . ." Others?

"Ask not whether we have trolls, since trolls there be . . ."

Date: Jun 11, 2005

That is great USMS!

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Richard Dawson wrote:

If we played "Family Feud" and asked 100 people to name their favorite poet, Donne wouldn't even make the top 10.

Dick,

If we played "What's the name of that tune" and asked 100 trolls to name their favorite song, "Finlandia," "Fur Elise," or "Largo from Keyboard Concerto #5 in F minor" wouldn't make the top 10. So what's your point?

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Some readers may not know that before he became a great preacher and writer of sacred verse, John Donne was a "rake" and wrote a great deal of brilliant, somewhat raunchy verse.
I recall one Gentleman Caller who was shown the door after using certain Donne poetry in an attempt to woo Mlle. de Guerre. She was quite saddened by the incident, admiring the gentleman's erudition, but regretting his misuse of it, and his presumption.

H.A.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Hermione Angleterre wrote:

Some readers may not know that before he became a great preacher and writer of sacred verse, John Donne was a "rake" and wrote a great deal of brilliant, somewhat raunchy verse. I recall one Gentleman Caller who was shown the door after using certain Donne poetry in an attempt to woo Mlle. de Guerre. She was quite saddened by the incident, admiring the gentleman's erudition, but regretting his misuse of it, and his presumption. H.A.

I hope she sprayed for fleas after he left.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

USM Sympathizer wrote:

I hope she sprayed for fleas after he left.

And with FLIT of course. Just to make sure he didn't return.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

I never cease to be amazed how these inarticulate and uninformed trolls invade the message board only to leave promptly when the discover they don't have the skills or the temperment to deal with the truth presented to them in direct and sometimes dramatic fashion.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

I think some of the trolls are students and others are not academic people.

I did include some Donne and some Keats in English 101 this past fall. Had to scrunch it into the "compare-contrast" essay. I offered the opportunity to use different poems for those who didn't want to work with the Holy Sonnets, but no one did. There was a surprizing receptivity, especially when the poems were read aloud.
My thoughts:
People innately love poetry -- eyes lit up when I mentioned that all song lyrics are poems and let students submit song lyrics as "poems" to be worked with in class.
Students dont' get enough poetry, taught carefully and with love. When you teach them how to read it aloud, they are much more responsive. Not everybody of course, but more than you'd think.
I understand and respect the English Department's emphasis on English 101 being composition-intensive, but I'm afraid we've lost one of our last chances to impart a feeling for literature. I also regret that there is only one semester of Sophomore lit required -- it was two semesters at the other schools I've taught at. Although I understand the reasons and the need for 203 to be online, I regret the loss of the personal experience. Of course, we're already asking the English department to make bricks with no straw, so I have no solution to offer.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

I am quite sure that Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Chopin, et. al., would be listed in a 100-person survey of "top composers." My statement was that Donne wouldn't make the list of "top poets." As such, Tone Deaf, your statement is irrelevant -- you are not even making a parallel comparison.

As for Donne's significance, I find it interesting that Donne is being focused on now, many years after so many of his contemporaries have achieved status. You Donnites are the academic equivalent of USM football fans -- keep telling yourself that your particular favorite is top quality and pretty soon you start believing it.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

LVN wrote:

People innately love poetry

Indeed they do, LVN. My personal favorites are called limericks.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Hmm, so TAMU gave GS $85,000 and sent him to London to buy Donne manuscripts at Sotheby's because Donne is so insignificant only USM people are interested in him. Wow, I wish I could find some no-talent poet to become an expert in!

Date: Jun 11, 2005

LVN wrote:

Hmm, so TAMU gave GS $85,000 and sent him to London to buy Donne manuscripts at Sotheby's because Donne is so insignificant only USM people are interested in him. Wow, I wish I could find some no-talent poet to become an expert in!

Stringer = Snake Oil Salesman??

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Josey Wales wrote:
Stringer = Snake Oil Salesman??

Josey Wales = Troll??

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Interpreter wrote:

Josey Wales wrote:Stringer = Snake Oil Salesman??
Josey Wales = Troll??

Josey Wales = Outlaw

Interpreter = don't quit your day job

Donne = 2nd rate poet

USM = asylum

USM faculty = inmates

SFT = the boss

next 2 years = USM faculty's worst nightmare. Get ready to work for the first time in your lives.

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Richard Dawson wrote:

I am quite sure that Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Chopin, et. al., would be listed in a 100-person survey of "top composers." My statement was that Donne wouldn't make the list of "top poets." As such, Tone Deaf, your statement is irrelevant -- you are not even making a parallel comparison. As for Donne's significance, I find it interesting that Donne is being focused on now, many years after so many of his contemporaries have achieved status. You Donnites are the academic equivalent of USM football fans -- keep telling yourself that your particular favorite is top quality and pretty soon you start believing it.

Dick,

Any informed person would place Donne WAY high up among the top English poets. He is in EVERY major anthology; he is taught in ANY survey course that pretends to be even remotely respectable; he is actually deeply loved by almost anyone who has ever bothered to read him (as I suspect you have not). The only reason there is a need for a Donne variorium edition is PRECISELY because Donne is so widely read and so widely studied. Have you ever looked at one of the DV volumes? They are huge, and they are filled with the detailed responses that many highly intelligent (i.e., non-Dick) readers over the centuries have offered to Donne. Literally millions of dollars have been allocated to produce the DV -- which would be a pretty dumb thing to do if Donne were considered an insignificant poet. People in his own day regarded him as one of the very best writers of their era, and major writers in the 20th century have been greatly influenced by him (e.g., T.S. Eliot). In short, Dick, you have no idea what you are talking about (but why am I not surprised?).

Date: Jun 11, 2005

Leonard Maltin wrote:

Interpreter wrote: Josey Wales wrote:Stringer = Snake Oil Salesman?? Josey Wales = Troll?? Josey Wales = Outlaw Interpreter = don't quit your day job Donne = 2nd rate poet USM = asylum USM faculty = inmates SFT = the boss next 2 years = USM faculty's worst nightmare. Get ready to work for the first time in your lives.

Leonard Maltin = circle surrounding an a$$