Mairi bheag at Old Poetry

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Column: A few notes about Neo-Formalist poetry. at allpoetry
On my web site, I categorise myself as a neo-formalist poet. That needs a bit of a gloss. It's simply a point of reference. What is neo-formalism? Has it any place in modern poetry? Does anyone really care?
Column: Jisei at allpoetry
In the Japanese tradition - formal poetry heralding death. Why do I write this?
Leaf 18 at allpoetry
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on The Prisoner Of Chillon by Lord George Gordon Byron, on August 4
Y'know... Byron was a dissolute, egocentric wastrel... but boi-oh-boi could he write poetry!
on Maud by Alfred Lord Tennyson, on August 4
I wish you could find room for the whole of the Maud monodrama!
on The Debate Between Villon And His Heart by François Villon, on February 11
Why does this appear on this page:

"This poet lived past 1955, but our researchers have included this poem in our archive because it is relevant to the study of classical poetry."

I do wish we could also see the original mediaeval French words.
on Sonnet XVII: I do not love you as if you were brine-rose, topaz by Pablo Neruda, on January 25
This would benefit from a parallel text in Spanish. I have done some translation from French, and I know how valuable it is to have texts in both languages.

Translation is difficult. It is almost impossible to translate sense and retain rhyme and metre (where it exists). So it can become a compromise.

But... the concepts in this poem are wonderful in any language. Love poetry is two-ton for a penny, and riddled with cliche. This poem by Neruda is, by contrast, fresh, breathtaking, yet simple. the final couplet:

"so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep"

... is one of those "damn - I wish I'd said that" lines.

Sleep well, maestro and comrade.