http://mindofwinter.org/2003/11/09/a-last-word/ A forum for discussing poems and poetry Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:29:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 http://mindofwinter.org/2003/11/09/a-last-word/#comment-7 Michael Sun, 09 Nov 2003 22:09:57 +0000 http://mindofwinter.org/2003/11/09/a-last-word/#comment-7 I first encountered Swinburne's "A Leave-Taking" in Eugene O'Neill's play, "Long Day's Journey Into Night." I decided to re-read the play, and found another great poem contained within---a poem called <a href="http://poetry.elcore.net/CatholicPoets/Dowson/Dowson16.html" title="Non Sum Qualis eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae by Ernest Dowson">"Non Sum Qualis eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae"</a> by Ernest Dowson. I don't know much about Dowson, but that he died at 32 after a long despondency, having weathered rejection by the 14-year old girl he had been "courting" and the suicides of both his parents. I did manage to find several other poems of his, though, including the one above. This poem caught my eye primarily because it opens with the same four words as "A Leave-Taking" and shares a stronger kinship with much of Swinburne's work, but Minerva's owl makes a dark and brooding appearance as well. I'm not suggesting this for the group; just thought I'd share a lucky find that I enjoyed. I first encountered Swinburne’s “A Leave-Taking” in Eugene O’Neill’s play, “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” I decided to re-read the play, and found another great poem contained within—a poem called “Non Sum Qualis eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae” by Ernest Dowson. I don’t know much about Dowson, but that he died at 32 after a long despondency, having weathered rejection by the 14-year old girl he had been “courting” and the suicides of both his parents. I did manage to find several other poems of his, though, including the one above. This poem caught my eye primarily because it opens with the same four words as “A Leave-Taking” and shares a stronger kinship with much of Swinburne’s work, but Minerva’s owl makes a dark and brooding appearance as well. I’m not suggesting this for the group; just thought I’d share a lucky find that I enjoyed.

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