Saturday, August 31, 2013

Beannacht Dé leis...

I am taking the liberty of breaking a rule of CDP, the first and last time.  This is a photo I found on the internet of Seamus Heaney and his family.

Seamus Heaney, centre, displaying his Nobel literature prize medal, surrounded by his family, from left: his son Michael, daughter Catherine, his wife Marie and son Christopher, after receiving it from the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden in 1995.


My heart is broken. Seamus Heaney died Friday at age 74. My all-time favorite poet. The world has lost a gifted man of letters. Probably only the Irish can make the language soar as he had. Saw and heard him read his poems, attended one of his plays at the Guthrie Theatre, read many and taught several  of his poems, and loved the imagery and sound of his poetry. To hear him read one of his early poems that will forever remain one of my favorites, check here.


 RIP sweet poet-prince!

9 comments:

  1. When to an Irish gathering in the city to mark today the 40th anniversary of Director John Ford's death in 1973. He was born in Portland. A Heaney poem was read to connect the two and the city's Irish roots. "Postscript", I think.

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  2. I certainly do not mind your breaking the rules (what rules?) in such sad circumstances. Gilbert Bécaud, a very good French poet/singer who died maybe 20 years ago, wrote a poem entitled "quand il est mort le poète, le monde entier pleurait". I think it is very appropriate today for Heaney's death, which makes me very sad too.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBoWZiln7Yc

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    1. Yes, when this poet died, the world is weeping!

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  3. This is a beautiful tribute Kate. He certainly had a wonderful way with words.

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  4. You are right about the Irish gift of eloquence.

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  5. Such a loss, so sad.
    I think it's OK to break the rules for this.

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  6. Marvelous tribute Kate.

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  7. Sorry to read this. The world needs all the poets it can get, especially wonderful Irish ones.

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  8. Lovely tribute Kate..he leaves behind an ocean of words, that's more than can be said for many.

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