Old Road to Paradise (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Pulitzer-Winning American Lyric Poems of Memory, Devotion, Love, and WomanhoodBy Margaret Widdemer
Length1h 59m
About this audiobook
Margaret Widdemer's *Old Road to Paradise* is a finely wrought collection of poems that moves between domestic lyric, spiritual longing, social sympathy, and romantic retrospection. Its "old road" is both literal and symbolic: a path through memory, moral aspiration, and the fragile consolations of beauty. Written in accessible meters and melodious diction, the volume belongs to the early twentieth-century American lyric tradition, yet it also reflects the era's widening concern with women's experience, labor, and democratic feeling. Widdemer, an American poet and novelist, brought to her verse both literary discipline and a keen awareness of contemporary life. Born in 1884, she wrote during a period when women writers were expanding the emotional and public range of poetry. Her earlier social-protest poem "The Factories" helped establish her reputation, and *Old Road to Paradise*—which shared the 1919 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry—reveals her ability to unite ethical seriousness with songlike grace. This collection is recommended to readers interested in lyrical poetry that is clear, humane, and historically resonant. It offers not modernist difficulty, but a poised and thoughtful music: poetry for those who value feeling disciplined by craft.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.7 (45)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing
GenrePoetry
Length1 hr 59 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 6, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Old Road to Paradise (Annotated)
26UNSPELLED
2Introduction
27THE SINGING WOOD
3Historical Context
28WHISTLE-FANTASY
4Synopsis (Selection)
29ONCE WHEN WE BOUGHT VALENTINES
5THE OLD KINGS
30WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL
Show all chaptersShow less
6ST. JEANNE RIDES OUT
31THE GARDEN
7A BALLAD OF THE WISE MEN
32OCTOBER
8NEXT YEAR
33HEART OF YOUTH
9HOMES
34SONG: I WISH I WERE OLD NOW
10FATHER PRAYER
35TO YOUTH AFTER PAIN
11GOOD-BY, MY LOVER
36OLD BOOKS
12POEM FOR A PICTURE
37THE WIRES
13PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
38WOMEN
14THE GRAY MAGICIAN
39EMBROIDERY
15THE DANCERS
40TEA
16THE GYPSY STAR
41DREAM DEATH
17THE FAUN'S SWEETHEART
42TOYS
18DREAM-HOUSE
43MOTHER-PRAYER
19GARDEN DREAM
44THREE STUDIES FOR A PORTRAIT
20SWAN-CHILD
45OLD TALES
21CHANGELING
46THE GRAY MASK
22SONGS FROM A MASQUE
47THE SEEKER
23THE WOODFOLK SWEEP THROUGH
48A LOST COMRADE
24SWANHILD SINGS UNSEEN
49DEPARTURE
25SWANHILD SINGS TO THE KNIGHT
50DISCOVERY
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