Good day, readers. Today is May 11th, the 132nd day of the year 2024, with 234 days remaining.
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
Albert Schweitzer
Today in Literary History:
On this day in 1888, Irving Berlin, one of the greatest American songwriters in history, was born. Known for iconic songs such as “White Christmas” and “God Bless America,” Berlin’s work has not only shaped American music but also influenced literary and cultural studies through analyses of his lyrics and their impact on American identity and sentiment.
Notable Birthdays:
Salvador Dalí (May 11, 1904 – January 23, 1989), the Spanish surrealist painter, was born on this day. While primarily known for his striking and bizarre images, Dalí also wrote and influenced literature with his flamboyant personality and unique philosophical views, which were often expressed through his art.
Today’s Readings:
From “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin: “God bless America, land that I love, Stand beside her and guide her Through the night with the light from above.”
Literary Fact of the Day:
On May 11, 1949, Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations. This historical event has been widely discussed in both fiction and non-fiction, reflecting its profound implications for global politics and Middle Eastern literature.
Poem of the Day:
“The Solitary Reaper” by William Wordsworth
Behold her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.
No Nightingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.
Will no one tell me what she sings?—
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of to-day?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?
Whate’er the theme, the Maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o’er the sickle bending;—
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.
This evocative poem by Wordsworth captures the poignant beauty of a simple scene, reminding us of the power of music and solitude.
Advice for Writers:
Inspired by the lyrical simplicity of Irving Berlin, consider how you can use straightforward yet poignant language in your writing. Such an approach can resonate deeply with a wide audience, imparting emotional and cultural significance.
Have an inspired and successful day, dear readers. Until tomorrow, may your endeavors be as fulfilling as they are successful.
If you want to read something really fun and cutting, check out Orwell’s essay Benefit of Clergy: Some Notes on Salvador Dali. He really didn’t like him!
Thanks, Suzanne! I will check it out!
Dali’s relationship with the poet Federico Garcia Lorca is really sad and, though he covered it well, I think he felt guilty about it for the rest of his life.