The Troubadour Podcast

Send us a textIn this short story by Poe we hear a tale from a scientist who performs mesmerism on a man in articulo mortis. That is, "at the point of death." Mesmerism was a method of psychological and physical healing developed by Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), a Viennese doctor. It was believed to be therapeutic, especially of nervous people, and many also believed it could override the will of another person, as is hypnotism.Poe shares a story from a man who actually performed mesmerism on a man at the point of death. What happens is unbelievable. Believe it.

Send us a textOn this episode I cover three very short poems by William Blake in his Songs of Innocence and Experience:1) The Shepherd2) The Lamb3) SpringThese are the pastoral poems in this book of poetry. You'll learn the difference between a pastoral poem and a georgic poem and why that is important. Also, we'll explore the deeper themes recurring throughout this work by Blake.

Send us a textWARNING: This is not an episode for people who cannot handle the reality of the decisions that parents had to make during the early years of the industrial revolution.On this episode I give you a history lesson on life during the early years of the Industrial Revolution, including a history of chimney sweepers.Blake's poem can be seen simply as a tale of a young chimney sweeper who has a vision about an angel setting him and his friends free, and it can be seen as an indictment of the way we indoctrinate children.Few poets have the ability to infuse the most simple poetry with a subtle power that can effect real change in the minds of individuals.

Send us a textStewart Wade Margolis joins me for another conversation about poetry and his work as a diretor. This time we discussed the poem by William Blake "The Garden of Love," as well as his short vignettes about dating as a gay man in Coffee House Chronicles.We had a great conversation about sexual repression in our society as well as the similarities and differences of dating and sexual taboos in modern culture.Here is the poem by Blake:The Garden of LoveBY WILLIAM BLAKEI went to the Garden of Love,And saw what I never had seen:A Chapel was built in the midst,Where I used to play on the green.And the gates of this Chapel were shut,And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,That so many sweet flowers bore. And I saw it was filled with graves,And tomb-stones where flowers should be:And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,And binding with briars, my joys & desires.

Send us a textGet ready for some difficult to read poetic moments. Here we will deal with racism and slavery. In this poem by Blake, from The Songs of Innocence, he expresses in beautiful verse a story that a mother tells to her young child about why they are black slaves living in England during the mid 18th century.If you have followed along with my readings of Blake you will know that this is only the surface level. It is the "innocent" reading. The experienced reading will metaphorically, shake your world.Do not miss this one.

Send us a textThis is an audio version of the video you can find at troubadourmag.com or on Facebook or Youtube:In this video I discuss Yaron Brook's review of The Irishman by Martin Scorsese. While there are several point of agreement I have with Yaron's assessment, I believe he fundamentally misses the point of the movie. Moreover, I believe he wrongly applies Ayn Rand's conception of esthetics to Scorsese's movie.Here I will defend The Irishman as great art, whether or not you subjectively like the movie. It is my understanding that Yaron hated the fim (totally understandable) but that he allowed this to cloud his judgment of assessing the film is improper.I hope you will enjoy a dissectioon of several scenes as well as a discussion of the gangster genre, Martin Scorse's filmography, the art of acting (and what we can judge of it) and much much more.This was a fun one to create and as I say in the video it comes from a place of love, as so much of Yaron's work has been an inspiration to me.

Explore the innocence and complexity of William Blake's 'The Lamb', delving into the symbolism of the lamb in relation to sacrificial figures like Jesus. Dive into the contrast between innocence and experience within the human soul, analyzing Blake's critique of dogmatic religion and the changing dynamics between science and religion during his era.

Delve into William Blake's poem 'The Echoing Green' from a child's perspective and an adult's view, exploring innocence and experience. The podcast analyzes themes of childhood joy, maturity, mortality, and societal constraints. It also highlights the dark imagery and gothic horror elements in Blake's work.

Exploring the eccentricity and revolutionary views of William Blake, his embrace of imagination over reason, and the portrayal of innocence and experience in his poetry. Delving into the themes of childhood, the contrast between live experience and writing, and the enchantment found in his work.

Send us a textThis episode was recording during the holidays 2019. The Holidays are a time of reflections on your past as you prepare for New Years Eve resolutions for your future.Can recollecting your past be done improperly? Is it an infallible process? If it is not infallible, what should we do about it? These are some of the themes we will see in Tintern Abbey by Wordsworth.The full title of this poem is Lines Composed a Few Miles above TinternAbbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wyeduring a Tour. July 13, 1798.In this episode I explore the final poem of the 1798 Lyrical Ballads, Tintern Abbey. Here we get the first poem that shows the Giant Wordsworth. The former poems in Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth were great explorations of his poetic abilities, but in Tintern Abbey we get the full philosophical, psychological, autobiographical and poetic mastery that is Wordsworth.For my full notes and breakdown go to troubadourmag.com