Mandrakes and The hand of glory

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 96202

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jdr0918" <jdr0918 at h...> wrote:
> 
> "Go and catch a falling star
> Get with child a mandrake root
> Tell me where all past years are
> Or who cleft the devil's foot..."
> 
> Our Mr. Bannister can probably tell us who wrote this poem. I can 
> only remember the discomfort of the nun who had brought this 
> distinguished guest lecturer to our English class as he explained the 
> metaphor to forty Catholic schoolgirls, after singing it to us in a 
> deep, lush baritone voice.
> 

Geoff seems to be resting.
It's 'Song' by John Donne. If you like that one, try 'Air and Angels' and
'The Ecstacy'.
He is/was renowned for the imagery in his poetry, so much so that he
is classed as probably the foremost of the Metaphysical poets. Sometime
Dean of St Pauls his sermons are worth  reading too. Despite all that, he
was an adventurer, a womaniser and died 1631.

Kneasy