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Geoffrey Chaucer

The known facts of Chaucer's life are fragmentary and are based almost entirely on official records. The son of John Chaucer, a vintner, he was born in London. In 1357 he was a page in the household of Prince Lionel,

Prologue, The

by Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400)

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2<author>
3  <person id="2220" sex="1" role="author">
4    <name>
5      <firstname>Geoffrey</firstname>
6      <lastname>Chaucer</lastname>
7    </name>
8    <life-events>
9      <date ty="birth" circa="false" suffix="ad">1340</date>
10      <date ty="death" circa="false" suffix="ad">1400</date>
11      <text-value>(1340?–1400)</text-value>
12    </life-events>
13    <biography>y</biography>
14  </person>
15</author>
16

 When April with his showers sweet with fruit 
 The drought of March has pierced unto the root 
 And bathed each vein with liquor that has power 
 To generate therein and sire the flower; 
 When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath, 
 Quickened again, in every holt and heath, 
 The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun 
 Into the Ram one half his course has run, 
 And many little birds make melody 

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Poets Book of Days

April 17

Brendan Kennelly born, 1936

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Poetry Trivia

Question:

What poet's epitaph reads, "Heroes and Kings! your distance keep: / In peace let one poor Poet sleep; / Who never flatter'd folks like you: / Let Horace blush and Virgil too"?

Answer

Alexander Pope. Pope, who was Catholic, is buried near his villa in Twickenham. He prefaced his epitaph, "For one who would not be buried in Westminster Abbey."

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