Complete poems of Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience. Formatted for iPod Notes. Once it's loaded up, begin with the .Contents. file within either book (folder) and the poems will be linked in their proper order. You'll figure it out.
Download: Songs of Innocence (11k)
Download: Songs of Experience (15k)
This download includes 300 selected poems of Issa (1763-1828), one of the four old-school masters of the Haiku. He wrote more than 5,000 poems, including 16 poems on Sumo wrestling, 5 on Earthworms singing, 9 on snakes entering holes. Given his street names "Priest Cup-of-Tea" and "Shinano Province's Chief Beggar", he could have clearly secured a post in the posse of Public Enemy or the Wu-Tang Clan. The selection here is generously provided by translator David G. Lanoue, who will be continually updating the poems (this version: 10.23.04). David has translated thousands of Issa poems which are available with the Japanese originals and more on his site - see here.
A few dozen Haiku from Basho, Issa, Shiki, Buson - the BIG FOUR of the little poem. It's all about using CONCRETE images to reveal something ephemeral. You'd think that it's simple - 3 lines divide 17 syllables in the order 5/7/5, but if you're a traditionalist there are an additional 65 rules you must follow. Have a little more to say? There is the older Tanka-style poem where you get two bonus lines (7 syllables each) to try to summarize all of existence. CREDITS: Haiku for People.
For the budding actor or fan of the Big Man, some select speeches from brooding to humorous. Demand of your co-workers over lunch, "he which hath no stomack to this fight, let him depart, his Passport shall be made." Also includes a brilliant selected passage from Bernard Levin highlighting how many of our words and ideas literally flowed from this man's head.
Download Shakespeare Monologues (11k)
If you haven't heard this man, well you've missed out on one of the most brilliant and humorous voices. He can see around corners and you will laugh aloud. Two notes: 1) unlike all the other documents on this site, all of these TEXT files are COPYRIGHTED, and 2) the Billy Collins web site contains free MP3 downloads of him reading a bunch of these.
