A Witty Response

[deirdreaj1]

BTW, I went rushing off to google, to see if Ms. Cornford made any response to Chesterton -- I didn't see that she had, but I did find a parody of her poem by Housman. It's not nearly as good as Chesterton's, & certainly not as humane, but it did make me laugh. O why do you walk through the fields in boots, Missing so much and so much? O fat white woman whom nobody shoots, Why do you walk through the fields in boots, When the grass is soft as the breast of coots And shiver

[deirdreaj1]

Thank you ~~ this is brilliant!

I hope I can still add a response, all these years later -- I just discovered your vlog yesterday. And I have to admit, I'll have to think a while before I can come up with anything to match this. A specific response to a specific poem just isn't leaping to mind.

However, here's a poetic response to someone's whole opus.

My grasp of what he wrote and meant

Was only five or six %.

The rest was only words and sound--

My reference is to Ezra £.

- Flann O'Brien

[nohonor89]

Although it is not a rejoinder in the literal sense, "The Last of the Light Brigade" by Kipling immediately springs to mind. It is written as a postscript to "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Tennyson and... well, you'll have to read it to find out exactly what it is.

[AidanTAKFW]

Marcus Valerius Martialis aka Martial, I don't know if he would be quite this same concept, but his poetry consists of witty responses to people both ordinary and those in power in his time.

[Strollmanx]

What a wonderful representation of Chesterton......as a fan of his I could picture the delight he took in creating this poem. You certainly did it justice. Bravo young lady. May your enthusiasm grow forever.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you very much, Strollmanx! :)

[Strollmanx]

Chesterton was a prolific writer and in my book a mind like no other. He influences Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. He believed that in order to enjoy life a person needs to be a mystic or else one will be too calculating and ultimately dull and avoided by people on the streets. Despite all of my reading I had never read that poem and although I did not think it was possible my admiration for him has grown even more...saw your music tastes did not see Roxy Music--check out "in every dream home".......

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Second time someone has recommended Roxy Music to me this week..and before that I'd somehow never heard of them! Thank you! :) Will definitely explore their music and that particular song ;)

[Strollmanx]

You may want to steer clear of that particular song. I had forgotten the subject matter but the performance of the song itself is truly unique to say the least. Maybe "Mother of pearl" by Roxy would be better. By the way Raven give Alam Parson's "Tales of mystery and imagination" a listen.............stay well and follow your bliss!

[spydermojo]

To the question of whether poetry or art can incite overzealous action, and whether the poet can thus be held accountable in some way for taking a side with the politics of the day the response by W.H. Auden to Yeats' 'Easter, 1916":

For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives

In the valley of its making where executives

Would never want to tamper, flows on south

From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,

Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,

A way of happening, a mouth.

[flan984]

Dear miss Jennifer:

I hope this missive finds you in good health.

I have to say that after my rather long absence from the lands of Youtube it was an absolute pleasure to return and find in your electronic manor this delightful little video about these two intersecting poems. Your interpretation of both, needless to say, is flawless, and they are fascinating pieces of literature indeed. I'm quite glad you have brought them to my attention. Respectfully yours:

Rui Leite ;)

[ThreeofThree]

I had to move to a different apartment this weekend and I was sick with swine flu and an ear infection this week. T_T Will do a response when I catch up with my work.

[Will1471987]

wait, I said: "sexy" but the comment got deleted?

[TheRavenOfPoe]

no it's still there, hehe

If you click "See All Comments" you should be able to find it ;)

[dmio2]

interesting stuff. nicely done.

[joemanses]

hey, you're a cutie XD

[Mattsam1000]

and do you realy like history ? :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

yes, very much so!

[Mattsam1000]

what part of anchint history do you like? i like greek hope all is well

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I find it all quite fascinating, but specialized in ancient Athens and Rome

[Mattsam1000]

yeah it is all good and i like rome too and good choice :P hope all is good

[Mattsam1000]

great vid 5***** as allways and hope all is good

[Will1471987]

sexy.

[keanghiero]

I like it so much and so much.

5*****

all the best

Kean

[rlvowell]

the first poem sounds like shes criticizing a wealthy women for being too classy to allow her naked hands to touch the grass. poetry is not something i am familiar with, though.

[frumpyframpton]

Battle Poems should be a TV show.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe, I would be interested in watching that ;)

I guess the freestyle rap battles are already there ^^

[bbstaraimee]

I love watching your videos they're very entertaining and I feel I learn something new everytime. I'm very interested in finding more poetic rejoinders. I thought the one you read was quite cute.

[robby63]

I loved your selections here and the connectivity between the two. Fascinating.

faved

Robby

[yowee1234]

Oh, I love this! I'm glad that he gave her a voice. The first poem seemed rather rude and pompous. That woman deserved to be heard. :)

[ivebeenthere1]

many thanks for this....this it did it send me into bliss

I'm no poet & you know it, but you Angel are a delight

I feel contrite for my lack of, but feel bright

for your words are a kiss that I hope never to miss!! Gary :--)

[dadasopher]

nice poem, gary!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you Gary, hehe! =)

[ASAngelo]

Charming Miss Raven. Your humour and choice are inscrutably unique.

5*s

Angelo

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you =)

[ThreeofThree]

Eek! Now, I realize I will have to find the one I'm thinking of. T_T

[ThreeofThree]

I will do a response next weekend. :D I have a test, a quiz, two papers, and...I don't know what else this week.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

goodluck with the quiz and essays! I look forward to your response! =)

[shortymir]

I find your timing to seem instinctual yet excellently executed.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you very much!

[blueastcoast]

Very good video, very interesting.. I wish I hadn't given up on poetry so much. I actually wrote a poem in Ukraine, I'll have to send it to you ;)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

yes please! =)

[janeczka]

Very interesting! thanks for sharing :)

[DavidRandallCurtis]

13 hours later and I STILL can't think of a witty response to this video :P

5*/faved

[TheRavenOfPoe]

lol! That in itself was witty, David!

[nordicsky]

I always enjoy your videos on u-tube because I always come away with a thought, idea or image. This reminded me how much I enjoy the wit and anti establishment views of GK Chesterton. It also reminded me that no poet should think they are supperior, or slag off characters in their poetry.

Thanks for posting this,

Kind regards, Peter

[Sugartalker]

lol I really enjoyed that and it was interesting. Thanks Jennifer :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thanks ST! =)

[benzone50]

that is a very clever and interesting reply, as she has a voice, as you say.

thanks for posting.

[zebidee55]

I guess in their own way, the poetic rejoinder was the 19th century version of a comment flame war. I wonder if you read it in Lolspeak if the analogy would be clearer!

From memory, wasn't there some sort of a running argument between Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson that took this form? I wonder in that case who was the first to run foul of Godwin's Law?

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe 19th century flamewar for certain ;)

I'll have to look into that Paterson/Lawson argument ^^

[ripley4O77]

I love this video by you, I honestly never even heard those kind of poems existed, I have learned a lot since I've been watching you so thank you for that.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you for the encouragment too! =)

[wdciii]

Always a Pleasure to hear from you! No mincing words there!...Fat headed poet that nobody reads! Ha!

-Dennis

[TheRavenOfPoe]

That is my favourite line of all, hehe!

[TheRealGentleman]

Very amusing, that was. The original certainly was blunt and rather unjustifiably rude. Where does Corny get off writing something like that?

[ZED74]

There was a young lady from Ealing...lol its a winner ;) honest ..

[wizardeal]

Who liked to sip on Darjeeling

She said, "how are you feeling"

I said "why are you reeling"

oink! little piggy, start squeeling.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe!

[OdeToNecrophilia]

What's so special about poems?

[jeffwolfheart]

that was really cool, I had never heard of such a thing like this:) thanks for sharing

[MARSHOMEWORLD]

Ouch! Smacked about the head and neck with sharply crafted words.

What a fantastic way to be combative and cultured at the same time.

I was unfamilliar with this form of poetry; thank you for teaching me something new.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I agree! And you're quite welcome =)

[LoveMattersMost]

PS: Two quick comments.. A) You look stunning, (as always). B) I appreciate the scholarly Videos, full of people and topics I know nothing about. Jen, you always force me to get off my behind, dust of the Wikipedia, and look things up! like lord Chesterton, for example, and the whole topic of "rejoinders" That's why I love your channel. Every topic is inviting and open-ended. : ) -Mr. B.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you very much, your words always hearten me =)

[LoveMattersMost]

I don't have a "poetic" rejoinder on my finger tips just now, but I'll keep my mind open for one and maybe one will pop in. But I do have a favorite rejoinder:

Lady Astor became annoyed at an inebriated Winston Churchill, who was pontificating on some topic. Reaching the end of her patience, she blurted out, "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd put poison in your coffee." Churchill famously replied: "Nancy, if you were my wife, I'd drink it." Ha Ha ^^ : ) -Brian.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I had heard that quote a long while ago and forgotten it - how delightfully cheeky he was, hehe! Thank you for bringing it back from my lost memories =)

[mft1234]

Thanks for posting. I sometimes like Chesterton.

[twin7819]

Was that rejoinder flagged as spam?

[zebidee55]

My thoughts exactly! (see main comment below)

[JoshieWellsy]

did the other author hear the rejoinder

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I would be interested to know that too! :)

[PerthPete1]

Hi Jen,

That is a clever rejoinder indeed.

I do not have any for you to enjoy, I do not read poetry.

[telofy]

Thanks!

If someone is as puzzled as I was by the Old Dutch this might help: theohreally (.) com/?p=1240

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I added an annotation in the video with a note about that term "Old Dutch" now =) I looked it up too back when I first read the poem a few years ago, hehe

[MakotoShishio5]

that was good

[xpoc]

That was great. I love how the style of the original poem was incorparated into the rejoinder.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

So do I! I think that is why it is one of my favourites =)

[moob744]

O girl with braided hair, how sweet to listen, echoes of long ago brought to life, vivid,as if just yesterday. :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you :)

[twish1999]

That was great, i like to listen to you reading poetry

:-)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you Twish!