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April 4
| Maya Angelou (Marguerite Ann Johnson) (b. 1928) – U.S. poet, autobiographer, playwright, essayist, singer, dancer – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings |  |
Read a biography of Maya Angelou
Watch a 4-minute “biopic” of Maya Angelou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyHqafC740Q
Read a transcription of David Frost’s 1995 interview of
Maya Angelou
http://www.newsun.com/angelou.html
April 5
 |
Amalia Guglielminetti (b. 1885) – Italian poet, playwright, novelist – Le Vergini Folli / Mad Virgins (1907) |
Read about Amalia Guglielminetti here and here
Ella va sola
nei molti canti
amari ed allegri…
Non è Ada Negri
né Annie Vivanti.
Ma quando una carola
d’amore intreccia
ella scivola, sfreccia
rapida e civettuola…
E non va sola!
Pure originalmente
nell’Olimpo s’accampa
per la sua vampa
dolcistruggente…
Non è Gaspara Stampa,
Veronica Gambara,
né la Contessa Lara.
Ella va sola,
certo non vibra
però se il canto libra
fuor dell’umana scorza,
talvolta vola;
prende a cantar con forza
ma poi si smorza,
la cetra sua si scheggia
e il suono ondeggia
tra un bacio ed uno schiaffo.
No, non è Saffo!
Ma aggiungi un’emme
al nome di battesimo
ed ecco l’incantesimo
delle sue gemme,
o moderna Castalda
in diciottesimo:
Guglielminetti? Ammalia!
[Read more here]
April 6
| Leonora Carrington (b. 1917) – U.K. surrealist artist and writer – The Oval Lady |  |
Read the Wikipedia biography of Leonora Carrington
Read a recent article about Leonora Carrington
http://macleanandrickardstraus.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/happy-birthday-leonora-carrington/
View a montage of Carrington’s art
(Mexico City 2008 Exhibition)
See more of Carrington’s art in Elisa Lovo’s blog post (in Portuguese):
http://ventoquimera.blogspot.com/2009/12/artista-leonora-carrington.html
Read an excerpt (in Spanish) from Carrington’s one-act play
The Invention of Mole
April 7
 |
Daniel Ellsberg (b. 1931) – U.S. decision theorist, military analyst – Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers (2002) |
Read the Wikipedia entry for Daniel Ellsberg
Watch Daniel Ellsberg talk about the Pentagon Papers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZAynSh4GuM
April 8
| Robert Toru Kiyosaki (b. 1947) – U.S. financial self-help speaker, writer – Rich Dad, Poor Dad series |  |
Read the Wikipedia article about Robert Kiyosaki here
Watch Robert Kiyosaki talk about “the conspiracy of the rich”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfx43J0wzlU
April 9
| George David Weiss (b. 1921) – U.S. songwriter – “What A Wonderful World” |
Read JazzBiographies.com
Listen to
(by George Shearing and George David Weiss)
or
Listen to Della Reese sing
“And Now”
(written by Luigi Creatore, Hugo E. Peretti, and George David Weiss)
or
Elvis Presley sings
“Can’t Help Falling In Love”
(written by Luigi Creatore, Hugo E. Peretti,
and George David Weiss)
or
watch The Tokens perform live
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight”
(written by Luigi Creatore, Hugo E. Peretti,
and George David Weiss)
or
watch Louis Armstrong sing
“What A Wonderful World”
(written by Robert Thiele and George David Weiss)
April 10
| George William Russell (AE) (b. 1867) – Irish poet, theosophist, artist, political activist |  |
Read the Wikipedia entry for
George William Russell
By The Margin Of The Great Deep
When the breath of twilight blows to flame the misty skies,
All its vaporous sapphire, violet glow and silver gleam,
With their magic flood me through the gateway of the eyes;
I am one with the twilight’s dream.
When the trees and skies and fields are one in dusky mood,
Every heart of man is rapt within the mother’s breast:
Full of peace and sleep and dreams in the vasty quietude,
I am one with their hearts at rest.
From our immemorial joys of hearth and home and love
Stray’d away along the margin of the unknown tide,
All its reach of soundless calm can thrill me far above
Word or touch from the lips beside.
Aye, and deep and deep and deeper let me drink and draw
From the olden fountain more than light or peace or dream,
Such primaeval being as o’erfills the heart with awe,
Growing one with its silent stream.
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