A tiny radiance in a dark place
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
I think we all know by now that I'm fond of a bit of poetry. I don't really know much about it - the last time I attempted any kind of proper literary analysis was over a decade ago - but I admire and enjoy it, and really, isn't that the point?
So, obviously, I am very into these free downloadable posters from the Scottish Poetry Library. Not only do I love the graphic type and candy colours, I love the very idea of printing poetry off and sticking it on your wall, like it was a Romeo+Juliet-era Leonardo DiCaprio poster.
I'm tempted to download "A tiny radiance" for the space above my desk, but I feel like my boss might take it the wrong way. I also can't get over the description of poetry as "the breast milk of language." Indeed.
If you prefer pictures to words, Pugly Pixel shared a link a while back to a new project from the Rijks Museum, which is offering free high-res downloads of artworks from its vast collection.
In order to help you narrow down which pieces you might like to download, the museum offers a 'Master Matching' service, which is kind of like a Cosmo "Which Sex and the City character are you?" quiz except infinitely classier. Instead of suffering the indignity of categorising yourself as a particular type cocktail or shoe ("Practical flats? You're so Miranda!"), you're invited to select your favourite Dutch city (who doesn't love Maastricht?) and ponder whether you were a hermit or a queen in a past life (hermit, obvs). This, ladies and gents, is my idea of a good time.
Update: I took my own advice.
Poetry posters via the Scottish Poetry Library. Porcelain plate circa 1778-1782 via Rijks Studio.
9 boats moored
Fabulous! Thank you for sharing the link for the posters!
ReplyDeleteim completly in love with your blog, your layout is simply amazing and gorgeous, stalking the blog daily haha xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Steffani!
DeleteHaha, the tiny radiance poster could definitely get taken the wrong way. I love it though, I think you should do it just to see how your boss reacts ;) xx
ReplyDeleteLovely! A couple there for the wall for sure!
ReplyDeleteWonderful. If only I had a colour printer! I would totally have the cup of tea one.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm such a poetry fiend. My blog is actually named after 'Toad'! Love these posters... and I haven't seen the top left one before but it's great.
ReplyDeleteLove. I had text of The Dancers Inherit the Party on the outside of my door in Uni Halls. I was down in England - nobody had heard of Hamilton Finlay. i like to think I was bolstering their education.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link - I'll be printing that one off for our kitchen.
Poetry lover here too, to the point where I always pop one on the inside cover of the mix CD I send to friends at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why poetry tends to fall into either strictly being an 'intellectual' thing, or the pursuit of only the angsty, self obsessed teenager (or perhaps this is just in Australia). Sure, a lot of poetry can be unpacked in analysis, and that can be wonderful, but the poetry I love connects with me on an emotional level - it kind of has to for it to work, I think. It's also such an immediate form of art, second only to images in how they can reach us quickly and with guts.