"Maud" and Summer question

Lord Alfred Tennyson. His name was heavily imprinted in my occipital lobe during college. Dr. Hahn adored Tennyson and I only sort of liked him because he was quoted in "Anne of Green Gables." Today, Tennyson and I became friends. I finally got why he is adored. I read and re-read some of his poems. Ladies and gentlemen, these poems have NOTHING on "Pride and Prejudice" the movie. They could compete with the novel but barely. There I sat watching the little kids run during summer camp and was completely gripped and enraptured by "Maud".

I was blown away. Dr. Hahn, I owe you an apology for sleeping through your class. Who could ever imagine that a person with the name like Maud could be lovable to the point of writing such a wonderful poem? There are names much easier on the vocal chords to be in love with than Maud. This name sounds like something a frog would croak out or something you would trip on. "I fell over a maud." Ok, I know not everyone is going to go running to read "Maud" so let me break it down for you. If you like Jane Austen, if you like cats, if you like the movie reviews from "the New Yorker" and if you prefer your black tea with some milk and prefer looking at the rain than watching TV and would avoid ever going in a toxic smelling nail salon then you will love "Maud". Why hasn't a film been done on her before?

I can see the Chef generously rolling his eyes at me now. "Mamma mia, perche ti piacciono le cose cosi tristi?" He thinks I like only sad things.

 He is right! Tennyson is tragic and wonderful. Rothko is horrible terse but incredible with this color structure. His colors eat you right out of the giant paintings! And Jane....mamma mia....who can argue against Jane? You know what? I finally decided that Darcy isn't the worst character in "Pride and Prejudice". I always felt that Jane had done women wrong by making Darcy out to be nice in the end when he started out as an arrogant conceited jerk. This, dear Jane, this taught countless women to hold on to arrogant boyfriends hoping they would do a Darcy and become sweet. No man does a Darcy. No, the worst character is really George Whickham. He is awful. It is tempting to get into the character analysis. If you think about it there is no man with redeemable qualities in "Pride and P." Even silly Colonel Fitzwilliam, the least known character, turns out to be as gossipy as a beautician.  Anyway, before I completely loose you, in case I haven't already, here is my favorite passage of "Maud" and my last question for the blog: why do squirrels eat so much basil? They have made daily salads out of my plant!

I can't choose one part of the poem. So I will just jot the part of the rose which is beautiful. They (marketing folk) should turn this into coffee mugs.

"And the soul of the rose went into my blood,

As the music clash'd int the hall;

And long by the garden lake I stood,

 for I heard your rivulet fall

From the lake to the meadow and on to the wood,

Our wood, that is dearer than all;"

There is so much more but life calls me to do the laundry. But can you see that on a coffee cup? "The soul of the rose went into my blood." I can totally see that. Jane would like it too.