POETS’ CORNER, WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Good Morning Readers:

I’ve been thinking about Poets’ Corner, in Westminster Abbey. I wonder if you may have visited Westminster Abbey, and walked around its magnificent interior.

Many poets have been buried there or are remembered there. Like William Shakespeare, who is buried in Stratford-upon-Avon, but he was a poet of enormous importance. England’s most important play write and poet. This is why he is so prominently positioned in Poets’ Corner.

Geoffrey Chaucer was the first poet to be buried in Westminster Abbey in 1400. He was the author of ‘The Canterbury Tales’. This was to become Poets’ Corner, not by design, but by gradual evolution.

There were also musicians buried in Poets’ Corner or near by. One of whom is George Frederic Handel. I’m sure you are familiar with two of his much loved pieces. One is called ‘Music for the Royal Fireworks’, and ‘Water Music’.

Other Poets and writers such as Charles Dickens, D.H. Lawrence, Lewis Carrol, John Betjeman, Poet Laureate, just to name a few, are there. Jane Austen is immortalised with a plaque in Poet’s Corner. She was buried at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. Likewise, John Keats has a plaque along side of Shelley in Poets’ Corner. He died in Rome, and is buried there. He was a much loved English Romantic poet, but his fame came slowly, long after his death in 1821.

Yes, Poets’ Corner is a magical place. To be standing there, amongst the greatest poets and writers, is truly an experience to behold. One gets the feeling of their spirit and their souls, so near and yet so far. Their words will never leave us.

If you are visiting London from afar, and you have a favourite poet, go and visit Westminster Abbey and Poets’ Corner and take a leisurely stroll around Poets’ Corner to see if your poet is buried there. It is interesting to read all the tablets as you walk around. It is a history lesson worth taking, so allow a few hours to peruse.

I think you know my favourite poet is John Keats. He has been an influence in my work. I read and learned many of his poems. His work inspired me to start to write poetry, when I was quite young.

I hope you liked my poetry book, The Mists of Time, which was published by Austin Macauley, April 30, 2021. https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/mists-time. Please write a review.
You can buy my book online or in bookshops.

I hope you will read more poetry. Choose a different poet each month, and you will discover you have many favourites.

All the best,
Anne

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