This just in: R.I.P. Seamus Heaney

[PhillyDave]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/31/arts/seamus-heaney-acclaimed-irish-poet-dies-at-74.html?_r=0

 

[Hosh]

Of that elite club of poets of worldwide acclaim, I liked him better than the rest. But all poets know the world is made to die. And so it goes. Let's raise a glass to a life unwasted, and drink deep while we can.

 

[PhillyDave]

It being the holiday weekend, and we're getting out early, I shall raise a tall frosty one at around 4pm to quench the deep & gorgeous thirst.

 

[Hosh]

Exceptionally prudent. Someone point me towards the wake!

 

[Danny Mac]

"and drink deep while we can." I have never heard this phrase before. This is a really cool phrase.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Of the "modern" poets beside Buk, I found Seamus Heaney and Joseph Brodsky to have the most to say. Of course, one could add Ann Menebroker, Diane Wakoski, and a few others into that category.

I would also add Nazim Hikmet into the category of important words, but he's probably of an earlier genre, and the translations are hard to ignore in terms of what the original words are worth.

 

[Bruno Dante]

I studied him for my A-Levels. Strange Fruit always sticks in my mind for some reason.

 

[skiroomalum]

Heaney was very good. Yevtushenko was great. Other than Bukowski maybe the best post-war poet.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Yevtushenko's still around, but I agree that he stands out. I just forgot to list him. But the translation issue is a question, as it is with Brodsky, which I neglected to mention.

 

[PhillyDave]

I'll have to look into the above mentioned poets. Thanks again bukowski.net. :)

 

[Ponder]

Heaney was a good poet so as 2 other nobel prize of literature winners, Murray and Szymborska.