I like Rex, and his style of commentary it not his politics per se. We may have come close to having the same English teacher.
My fave lit prof was a fellow named Cassidy who was the best teacher on the planet. He always gave me "slightly undeservedly", 80's in language. His enthusiasm, devotion and immersion in the subject never failed but to focus, even to enthrall all who heard his didactics. He raised our understanding and appreciation of Swinburne, Swift, Shakespeare, Marlow, Keats, Yeats, Joyce, Durrel, Lawrence et al, so that they reached their rightful heights among us.
He drew everyone to understand the subject, its criticism and the writings, with brilliant polemics that uncovered what would have otherwise been I fear unredeemable, at worst an opacity of dry and dreary sounds devoid of meaning.
All I knew who had taken from him declared him to be the best teacher that anyone every could have had. He made the study of Lit 101 a fascination to everyone, even those of ordinary skills.
His poet was Yeats. He has a MA thesis on Yeats I should acquire someday. I read portions of it, but I confess at the time that it was above me.
Mine poets were Dickenson, Keats, Pratt ...
i{My Soul} I summon to the winding ancient stair;
Set all your mind upon the steep ascent,
Upon the broken, crumbling battlement,
Upon the breathless starlit air,
'Upon the star that marks the hidden pole;
Fix every wandering thought upon
That quarter where all thought is done:
Who can distinguish darkness from the soul?
WBY |
