Turner, W.J. “Romance.” Modern British Poetry. ed. Louis Untermeyer. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1920. pp 305. Print.
The first thing you need to understand about “Romance” is that the three interesting names in the poem, Chimborozo, Cotopaxi, and Popocatapetl, are all names of volcanoes south of the United States. Chimborazo and Cotopaxi are in the Andes of Ecuador and Popocatapetl is in Mexico, not far from Mexico City. Once you realize what Turner is talking about, the word romance takes on a completely different meaning. This is not about a relationship between a couple; this a boy, escaping the drudgery of school by fantasizing about the volcanoes of a far off land (Turner was from Australia).
Reason read: April is National Poetry month.
Author fact: I am only reading two poems this month and it turns out Turner and Sassoon were friends. Very cool.
Poem trivia: I found a YouTube video of the poem. I have to admit it’s disturbing to watch and hearing Turner’s own voice is downright haunting.
BookLust Twist: from Book Lust To Go in the chapter called “Travelers’ Tale in Verse” (p 237).
~*LunaSea*~ 