John Donne's "The Flea"

Here's a poem I always enjoy teaching. Donne has consummate skill and a fascinating biography. He went from cynical libertine to doting husband to grieving penitent.

When we think of rhetoric, we tend to focus on the most egregious examples: politics and advertising. But in this poem you can see Donne's rhetorical skill put to labour in service of another goal: sex. He tries to woo the woman using the flea as a flexible metaphor, extending it as far as his inventiveness can stretch it. Yes, fleas were a common fact of life in the 17th century.

Look at this flea, he tells her. Inside it, our bloods have mingled (here most texts will footnote the fact that folks at that time thought blood mingled during coitus). There's no sin involved, no loss of virginity, he goes on, and doesn't the flea seem to be enjoying itself? So why not yield to me? We can guess that she's less than convinced, because he has to try to stop her from killing the insect and ending his speech. He rushes into reasons: It's as if this flea is a home, a temple, a marriage bed -- and besides, since their blood is inside it, she would be killing the two of them as well as the flea.

She disagrees and kills the flea. Thinking quickly, he leaps to a new association: the crucifixion: "Purpled thy nail in blood of innocence"! Purple, the color of royalty, here associated with the king of kings, his nails, his blood -- tied together because the flea, too, is an innocent. When she gloats that she feels no suffering from the flea's minute bit of blood, he goes in for a last ditch effort: as little as that flea took from you, that's all that I want from you. Give up those false fears and give in to me! Did it work? We'll never know. It's a humble image, but Donne raises it up to magnificence. Likewise, I went with a simple presentation. No whistles or bells (could it be I'm just lazy? Naah).

Why Blake's Ghost of the Flea as illustration? Well, why not -- any excuse to drag Blake in, eh?

The Flea
Running Time 1.37

When Little Joe the Krampus Met

In a surprisingly timely manner, here's a poem inspired by my pal The joey Zone, famed of song and story -- and brilliant illustrations (isn't it cool when you have a mug with your friend's artwork on it from a way cool conference like Necronomicon -- yes, I'm talking about the world's most elegant Cthulhu!). Well, Joe has long had a fascination with the Krampus, who in many Germanic countries accompanies Saint Nicholas on his travels punishing the bad children with switches while the saint fills the good kids' shoes with goodies. The very worst children get clapped in chains and dragged off in the Krampus' basket to suffer a year's worth of hell.

But what if the Krampus met up with a mischievous boy who was NOT afraid? Well, listen and hear the tale -- or hop on over to the website and buy a copy of the chapbook, designed and illustrated by The joey Zone (of course!).

When Little Joe the Krampus Met

Running time 4.02

The Princess and her Pig

Yes, because it will soon appear in New Fairy Tale magazine, I decided I needed to do a podcast of the poem for Sophie and her pig.

Of course, as Brad (her dad) tells me, the seal is unhappy and needs a story as well. Soon!

God, I love GarageBand! It makes podcasts so simple. I even added music (somewhat inexpertly, but hey, I'm learning).

Running time 2:01

Devil's Night

Here's a bit of doggerel that some of you might recognize from our Halloween cards a few years back: "Devil's Night." I tried to get a little more ambitious, so my reading is accompanied by some noodlings on the bowed psaltery -- and Kipper, who decided he couldn't settle down and be quiet. I suppose I could have re-recorded it, but I'm far too lazy and I have a deadline to meet, so back to work now. Enjoy!

Running time 5:06