Thursday Brain Teaser
"He had poetry published while he was still in college, and was asked to teach literature and languages at Harvard before he was 30. Although most of his work had historical, American themes, he was honored by Britain. He had a private audience with Queen Victoria, and after his death in 1882; he was the first American poet to have his bust placed in Westminster Abbey’s Poets’ corner."
If you think you got it, go to the comment section and HINT!!! at the answer, thereby leaving clues along the way for other contestants. I will try my utmost to encourage, discourage or laugh at your HINTS along the way.
Now don´t be shy...I only knew the answer because I was in Westminster Abbey and saw his name!
29 Comments:
He was born in Maine. His second wife died as a result of her dress catching fire from a lighted match.
Yes and yes.
His second wife actually. Poor man!
His first wife died when he was just 28. The second while sealing letters with hot wax in a library!
I got nothin'
sweet Jezus what a way to die... (have no idea of the husband)
This is far to obscure and esoteric for me, as I know very little, except that...
the tide rises, the tide falls...
Doug, youa re not getting off that easily!
Ariel, yeah. he had two wifes both of whom died before him. Strangely enough: He translated Dante´s Inferno after his second wife´s death!
Squaregirl, well done!
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
I got nothin'... Monika! I am a Pascover now! I am waiting for you! Come on! Be sarcastic! Be mean! Kick ass and join me!
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark & dreary.
Miz Bohemia, a greeting from you is worth more than any hint :)
Cube, subtle! But well done!
Uh......I think my brain is on vacation. Ooooh what a great idea. Join me! My place, Friday! (How's that for a hint)
Sar, if that is a hint I am not getting it! But I will ponder on it!
Monika - vacation....my place...tomorrow....HINT! ;)
Okay for the brain teaser, still clueless. :(
Monika! You are a Pascover! Read Doug over at Sar's! YAY! We are officially Doug's sisters now!
Get down and boogie electric!
He was a close friend of Nathaniel Hawthorne and a school-mate of his from Bodwin College. Another of his friends was the 14th president of the United States, who's name I now forget.
Just curious. How many of you tried Googling for the answer? Or is that discouraged?
Do you mean Bowdoin College in Maine (where he went owing to it being "cheaper" than Harvard, and where there is many a forest primeval). Is it almost the two century mark from his birthdate in a few days?
I have visited his Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts...
Oh, for Pete's sake, am I the only idiot here?
Oh, that dude what tied himself to a tree in a storm?
You're a poet and you know it
'coz your feet show it
Because they're xxxxxxxxx's
My mom taught me that as a kid and I think I have the poet now.
I shot an arrow into the air
it fell to Earth I know not where
Sar, I´ll be waiting for vacation related news...
Miz B., well-it was only my membership that was still hanging in the air. You got in by pure talent, I had to insult to make my way :) But we have reache dteh end of the road and next family dinner we will discuss it better...and maybe tease Doug a little ;)
Tim Rice, I discourage people from googling. Of course I can´t check up on it. I thought it would be nice if people don´t know the answer, but than check in the next day, some clues will have arrived and they will proceed from there. If they can conjure no answer, than I suggest googling...so they too have a chance to leave a clue!
Tryggvi, yes he was very close to Nathanial Hawthorne and both of them were atbowdoin College in Main. I think teh 14th president is a little later than both of those great two writers.
Kristina, I think you got the rigth man. Although, his two century birthdate mark is on the 27th of February in 2007! :) At least I think so, I should check some sources.:)
AP3,
"One Autumn night, in Sudbury town,
Across the meadows bare and brown,
The windows of the wayside inn
Gleamed red with fire-light through the leaves ..."
Well done!
Doug, I don´t think he tied himself to a tree in the storm. I hop ethis is not transference and you are trying to tell me something:)
The Arrow and The Song
"I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of a song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again, in the heart of a friend."
Yes Doug, that is actually the poem the teachers mentioned at University when I studied American Literature...
Morning sweety. Hope you slept well. And you are never too late;)
By chance, would this poet's initials be HWL?
Pack your bags and let's go Monika, it's time!
Time for vacation that is! :)
Sar, yes those would be his initials. And I´ll be right there...
OK, Monika, I know next to nothing about poets and poetry but I remember my High School English teacher saying that one of those dudes, dudes being dead New England poets, tied himself to the top of a tree in a storm so he could watch the storm and the forest.
Ok...i thought you meant he killed himself in that fashion. Hmmm...he might have done that to observe the weather. I don´t know!
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