Shadowtrain
Dreamtime: Poetry and Related Literary Genres
There is no single literary genre that touches the heart and soul of the reader like poetry. Unlike prose, its straight-laced older sibling, poetry has the quasi-mystical ability to transport the reader to faraway places that only exist in what is called ‘dreamtime’; those realms accessible solely to the mind’s eye.
This blog site is devoted to the magical world of poetry and those related literary genres that appeal strictly to the imagination. Here, readers with a keen sense of the fantastic will find many writings to tickle their fancy, from idylls, fairy tales, and myths to celebrated works of drama by the ancient Greeks.
Dark and Disturbing Fairy Tales
28 May 2022
The fairy tale is a European literary genre that typically takes the form of a short story. Although fairy tales are intended for children, they often contain disturbing themes. For example, in the original version of Little Red Riding Hood, she is tricked by the wolf into eating her own grandmother.
Coleridge and the Romantic Movement
19 Apr 2022
Generally considered one of the most eminent poets of all time, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) was an English philosopher, theologian, and literary critic. Along with his friend and colleague William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Coleridge helped establish the Romantic Movement, which dominated English-language poetry for much of the 19th century.
Charles Baudelaire’s ‘Flowers of Evil’
11 Mar 2022
Initially published in 1857, Charles Baudelaire’s ‘Flowers of Evil’ (Les Fleurs du Mal), a collection of poems, remains the quintessential example of France’s influential Symbolist Movement. Highly controversial at the time of publication (six poems were banned for ‘immorality’), Baudelaire’s work is still considered a literary masterpiece today.