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Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield was born Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp on October 14, 1888. She is remembered for the high level of craftsmanship she had already achieved by the time she died at the young age of 34. While most

Vignette—Through the Autumn Afternoon

by Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923)

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 Through the Autumn afternoon—I sat before the fire in the Library—and read—almost a little wildly. 
 I wanted to drug myself with books—drown my thoughts in a great violet sea of Oblivion. 
 I read about Youth—how the Young and the Strong had gone forth into battle—with banners of golden and blue and crimson. 
 Of the sunshine that turned their processions into a river of colour—and the songs that—mellow and sweet—rose in their round throats— 
 I read of the young Painters—hollow eyed and pale—who paced their studios like young tigers—and with stupendous colossal ideas— 
 How they sat together at night—in sweet companionship—round a fire—their cigarette smoke—mystical—ethereal. 
 And in the glowing coals—was shadowed the beautiful—flame like body of Art. 
 And deeply I pored over the books of Youthful Musicians. 
 Splendid—and tragic—and prophetic their faces gleamed at me—always with that strange haunted look—They had taken Life to them—and sung a Scarlet Song—that had no ending and no beginning—And I read of all their resolves—and of their feverish haste—and the Phantastic Desires that sang themselves to birth. This and much more I read in my books— 

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October 14

Richard Wilbur died, 2017

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Poetry Trivia

Question:

Who is credited with first popularizing the literary device known as a blason?

Answer

Clément Marot is credited as the source of this literary tradition. Shakespeare provides an ironic interpretation of this established device in his sonnet starting "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun."

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