Liz
This small gem of a collection is clear and luminous gift. David Whyte, a poet and philosopher with training in marine zoology, shares a sense of joy as he observes the passing of days and nights, cherishing nature, and writing with a sweet spirit of transcendence. I have always loved Rumi, and while Whyte has his own voice, his clarity, sense of flight, and visioning above and beyond the everyday warms and encourages me, the way Rumi has.
Above the mountains
the geese turn into
the light again
Painting their
black silhouettes
on an open sky
Sometimes everything
has to be
inscribed across
the heavens
so you can find
the one line
already written
inside you...
(excerpt from The Journey, included in David Whyte Essentials)
This collection was gathered by the poet's family to carry out Heaney's own idea for a personal selection of work from his entire writing career. His musical-poetic voice rings true throughout with his love of language and image, humor, and clear-eyed observation of deeply personal, as well as historic events
Had I not been awake I would have missed it,
A wind that rose and whirled until the roof
Pattered with quick leaves off the sycamore
And got me up, the whole of me a-patter,
Alive and ticking like an electric fence:
Had I not been awake I would have missed it,
...
(excerpt from 'Had I not been awake', included in Seamus Heaney 100 Poems)
Richard Wagner is a composer who has evoked strong reactions of adoration and aversion from music lovers for generations. Simon Callow has written a fast-paced, clearly-written life of the composer, giving us a crisp narrative not only about the music but into the many passions and quirks driving this irascible and unstoppable genius.
One needn't be an opera fan or a Wagner fan to enjoy and learn from Being Wagner! There is an excellent balance of vivid historic and social context, humor, and musical observation in this engaging and insightful book. I came away from reading Being Wagner with fresh appreciation for Wagner's achievements as well as a better understanding of his difficult, complex personality.
Callow is a multi-faceted talent: actor, director, author and astute social observer. He brings a keen and insightful sense of culture, theater, theater, and political activism to the life and work of Wagner.
Liz