A sonnet is a one-stanza, 14-line poem, written in iambic pentameter. William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, all of which are required reading for students of great literature. Shakespeare may be the most […]
How to Write 100,000,000,000,000 Poems
The Chaos — The Aptly-Named Poem About the Insanity of the English Language
Those of us who love the English language have to admit to a bit of schizophrenia about the love affair. On the one hand, English is an utterly-flexible and ever-changing language, allowing […]
The Hymn Writer and the President
Frances and Stephen were unlikely friends. For one thing, she was seventeen years his senior. Beyond the obvious difference in their ages, the two could not have been more different.
When The World’s Great Authors Formed a Cricket Team
What do literary giants do when they aren’t writing history’s greatest books? There’s no better way to stave off a case of writer’s block than to play a rousing game of cricket. […]
Cut Loose of the Misuse of the Mispronounced Name of Dr. Seuss
Theodor Geisel is known around the world by his pen name Dr. Seuss. The author and illustrator of more than 60 children’s books such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs […]
Oscar Wilde’s Final Battle With Wallpaper
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was famous for his humorous, ironic observations. This quality stayed with him right up to the end. The final words attributed to the Irishman, as he lay on his […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 