Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Awake!



Awake! For Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.

Do college students still read The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam? I have my mother's copy from her college years -- as well as my own, bought when I was a freshman at Emory University in Atlanta -just one year shy of half a century ago.

My suitemate, Ada Rasmussen, was a sound sleeper and I made a habit of bursting into her room in the early morning and shouting out the above quatrain.

No wonder she doesn't keep in touch.

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9 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

(((giggle)))

Reader Wil said...

Suddenly I am wide awake!!! Thanks. This poem must be one of the romantic period from the 19th century! Great idea to use it as a wake- up call!

Vicki Lane said...

Willow -- I also used to awaken my son's college friends on the morning of our big Easter party with Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" at top volume. It had to be done -- they were sleeping all over the barn that is the site of the party and there was prep to be done.

Wil -- Edward Fitzgerald translated this from the Persian in 1851.

Miss_Yves said...

Beautiful sky!
I love Khayyam'poetry !
Did the American students really read or study him ?

Some of my artworks , exhibited on my other blog
http://melimailart .blogspot .com

present and illustrate verses written by this poet.

Vicki Lane said...

Miss Yves - Khayyam's verse was not taught in college -- I suspect our professors would have found it a bit declasse.

But it was very popular with college age women for some reason. Ayn Rand's novels were another thing that, though not taught, seemed to be 'discovered' at this time.

I looked at your other blog and very much enjoyed seeing your art-- but could not find the pieces illustrating Khayyam's verse. I'll look again

Miss_Yves said...

I'll try to give you some links.

Miss_Yves said...

melimailart.blogspot.com/2008/02/khayyam.html

Vicki Lane said...

Merci, Miss Yves! I followed the link and found it -- a nice fusion of the classic Persian and modern art! Thanks for the link!

Miss_Yves said...

Thank you for your marks of interest !
If you click on "label" you can see three other illustrations (or poems )
You photos of mushrooms are wonderful!I know someof them...In French ...