“Out of the vortex, rifling the air it came..” – In Parenthesis

A reading of the last couple of paras from an early section of In Parenthesis by David Jones.

In Parenthesis is a book-length Modernist poem about the First World War (the only great Modernist work by a Brit rather than an American or Irish writer). It’s not often included in courses on Modernism since, like similar texts, it can appear difficult to get into, but it’s well worth the effort. It’s also a startling contrast to the kind of “war poetry” most people are used to.

“Analogy” – a poem by Brian Higgins, read by Michael Blackburn

Brian Higgins (1930 – 1965) is now forgotten as a poet but published three collections of poetry during his lifetime. This poem, “Analogy” comes from his second, Notes While Travelling (Longmans, London, 1964).

His first collection, The Only Need, was published by Abeland-Schuman (New York – London – Toronto) in 1960, and the final one (posthumously), The Northern Fiddler, by Methuen (London) in 1966. His death was ascribed to a ”rare heart condition”.

More on Higgins available on Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Higgins_(poet)

The portrait of Higgins is by Patrick Swift and is used courtesy of Wikipedia.

“Nostalgia” (aka “The Iron Music”) by Ford Madox Ford, read by Michael Blackburn

Ford Madox Ford, 1873 – 1939.

Best known as the author of such novels as The Good Soldier and No More Parades, Ford was also an accomplished modernist poet. He enlisted with the Welch Regiment in 1915 at the age of 41, served at the front and was wounded. “Nostalgia” (with the alternative title, “The Iron Music”) is one of a number of poems that take their rise from his experiences of the Great War.

Image of Ford c/o The Ford Madox Ford Society (http://www.fordmadoxfordsociety.org).

The text is taken from Ford Madox Ford: Selected Poems, edited with an introduction by Max Saunders, published by Carcanet Press, 2003.

Close reading of first 4 paras of The Fox (ILS and others)

Here’s a podcast of me analysing the first four paragraphs of The Fox by D H Lawrence, as an example of close reading. Although it will be of specific interest to ILS (Introduction to Literary Studies) students, it will also be useful to all Eng Lit students.