Later Poems

Carman, Bliss, 1861-1929Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 169K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Later Poems by Bliss Carman. Author: Carman, Bliss, 1861-1929. Language: English. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: Aug 12, 2010

Editor's review

Later Poems is a late collection by the Canadian poet Bliss Carman, available from Project Gutenberg as a public-domain electronic text. Carman was known for his lyric poetry, and his later work continues his attention to nature, the seasons, and the passage of life, in clear language and unhurried rhythm, carrying the lingering resonance of late Victorian poetry. For Chinese readers, the value of this collection lies not only in the text itself but also in its being a sample for observing how early twentieth-century North American lyric poetry carried on the Romantic tradition and moved toward modernity. The book is not long, making it suitable as an introductory reader for English poetry and for dipping into a few poems on a quiet afternoon. Note that the Gutenberg edition is the original English electronic text, without translation notes or background introduction, so readers need some English reading ability and should supplement the author's and period background themselves. If you study Canadian literature or the history of English poetry, you can use it as a primary source; if you are looking only for plot and story, adjust your expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with some English foundation who want to try poetry in the original
Students and teachers studying Canadian literature or the history of English poetry
General readers who enjoy lyric poetry on nature
Editors or translators who need public-domain English poetry material

Not a good fit for

Readers whose English reading is not yet proficient and who need Chinese translation notes
Those expecting a complete collection with detailed notes or an introduction
Readers who prefer fiction plots or strongly narrative texts

Reading tips

First read through the table of contents and choose several poems on similar themes to read together, to get a feel for Carman's habits of imagery.
Read each poem aloud once, paying attention to rhyme and rhythm, then go back over unfamiliar words and syntax.
Read alongside a history of Canadian literature or background materials on early twentieth-century English poetry.
Jot down recurring natural images as you go, and after finishing, look back at how these images change.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book have a Chinese translation or notes?

No. This edition is the original English electronic text provided by Project Gutenberg, without Chinese translation, notes, or introduction, so readers need to prepare a dictionary or background materials themselves.

Can someone with average English read this poetry collection?

You can try, but it takes patience. Carman's lines are not obscure, but they still have the omissions and inversions typical of poetry. It is best to start with short poems and use a dictionary to understand them line by line, without insisting on understanding everything at once.

Is this collection suitable for learning English?

It is suitable as supplementary material. Poetry helps you feel rhythm and word combinations, but its grammatical structures are not regular enough to be the only study text; it is best used alongside prose readings.

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About the author

Carman, Bliss, 1861-1929 Author

Bliss Carman (1861–1929) was a Canadian poet. Public information about him is limited, and many details of his life are not reliably documented, yet his surviving works reveal his poetic orientation. Six of his works are held in the collection, including Low Tide on Grand Pré: A Book of Lyrics, Sappho: One Hundred Lyrics, Behind the Arras: A Book of the Unseen, Later Poems, By the Aurelian Wall, and Other Elegies, and Ballads of Lost Haven: A Book of the Sea. These titles show that he wrote lyrics, elegies, and sea ballads, and that he reworked the poems of Sappho; his themes range over nature, maritime life, and meditation on the unseen. His verse is notable for its musicality and imagery, with a clear, slightly melancholy diction, and he holds a place in the transition of Canadian poetry from the Victorian tradition toward modernity.