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Showing posts with the label Poetry for Common Entrance

Museums and poetry

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I spent a wonderful morning in the British Museum. The Benin bronzes, crisp, powerful figures glowing in their cabinets, the glories of the Greek collection and the confident dominance of the Assyrian carvings overwhelmed and inspired me. Any poem you ever encounter can be triggered by a future experience. Today, Ozymandius was at the front of my mind as I wandered through the remains of great civilisations as was Byron's powerful Destruction of Sennacherib . You will have your own internal soundtrack which will excite, exhilarate or console when required. Reading poetry is laying down knowledge and you never know when it might be useful. For images: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/cultures/middle_east/assyrians.aspx And for inspiration: THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB,   The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea, When the blue wave rolls nightly on