Recent Episodes
March 15, 2026
"The Scorpion" by Hilaire Belloc
The Scorpion is as black as soot, He dearly loves to bite; He is a most unpleasant brute To find in bed, at night.
March 8, 2026
"The World" (Excerpt) by George Herbert
Love built a stately house, where Fortune came, And spinning fancies, she was heard to say That her fine cobwebs did support the frame, Whereas they were supported by the same; But Wisdom quickly swept them all away.
March 1, 2026
"The Half-Moon Westers Low, My Love" by A. E. Housman
The half-moon westers low, my love, And the wind brings up the rain; And wide apart lie we, my love, And seas between the twain. I know not if it rains, my love, In the land where you do lie; And oh, so sound you sleep, my lo...
Feb. 22, 2026
"The Violet" by Jane Taylor
Down in a green and shady bed, A modest violet grew, Its stalk was bent, it hung its head, As if to hide from view. And yet it was a lovely flower, Its colours bright and fair; It might have graced a rosy bower, Instead of hi...
Feb. 15, 2026
"Green" by D. H. Lawrence
The dawn was apple-green, The sky was green wine held up in the sun, The moon was a golden petal between. She opened her eyes, and green They shone, clear like flowers undone, For the first time, now for the first time seen.
Feb. 8, 2026
"Dusk" by Angelina Weld Grimké
Twin stars through my purpling pane, The shriveling husk Of a yellowing moon on the wane - And the dusk.
Recent Blog Posts
March 15, 2026
The Wit of the Wild: Hilaire Belloc’s "The Scorpion"
First published in 1897 as a standout piece in More Beasts for Worse Children, "The Scorpion" is a masterclass in Hilaire Belloc’s signature sardonic wit. This collection served as the popular follow-up to his earlier Bad Child&rsquo…
March 8, 2026
The Architecture of the Soul: George Herbert’s "The World" (Excerpt)
Written by the master of metaphysical devotion, George Herbert, "The World" was first published posthumously in his 1633 collection, The Temple. As a priest and poet, Herbert used architectural metaphors to explore the fragile relationship betw…
March 1, 2026
Love Across the Divide: A. E. Housman’s "The Half-Moon Westers Low, M…
Best known for his cycle A Shropshire Lad, A. E. Housman was a master of capturing profound grief and longing with deceptive simplicity. "The Half-Moon Westers Low, My Love" was published in his 1922 collection, Last Poems. It serves as a haunting e…