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Michael Hartnett

Irish poet Michael Hartnett was born on September 18, 1941 in the small town of Croom, County Limerick, one of eight children born to Denis and Bridie Harnett (Hartnett’s name was misspelled on his birth certificate,

Marban, a Hermit Speaks

by Michael Hartnett (1941–99)

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15

For I inhabit a wood

unknown but to my God

my house of hazel and ash

as an old hut in a rath.

And my house small, not too small,

is always accessible:

women disguised as blackbirds

talk their words from its gable.

The stags erupt from rivers,

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September 18

Samuel Johnson born, 1709

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Poetry Trivia

Question:

While Tu Fu wrote 12 poems to or about Li Po, how many did Li Po write about Tu Fu?

Answer

These T'ang Dynasty poets only met twice, once in 744 and once in 745. Li Po, by this time, was an established poet. Only one poem from Li Po to Tu Fu survives.

Previous Trivia Questions

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