Poetry and magic share a curious history, since shamans and priests of ancient times would chant verses and incantations as part of their rituals designed to heal the sick, influence the weather, or appeal to the gods. So we might even say there is something peculiarly ‘magical’ about poetry.
When compared with the sonnet, ballad, or even the villanelle, the pantoum verse form could hardly be called ‘popular’, and examples of pantoums in English literature are not exactly plentiful. Nonetheless, there are some fine instances of the pantoum – a distinctive and strict form which has been summarised here […]
Poetry is something that people often turn to for relaxation, and poets have frequently sought out calm, rest, and tranquillity so they can find inspiration for their poetry, or find time to think and write. For William Wordsworth, poetry was ‘emotion recollected in tranquillity’. Below, we introduce ten of the […]