Romanticism in an age of Nihilism

In an age of increasing nihilism where spirituality in any form gets eschewed as nonsense and where compassion, humanity’s long-time most esteemed value, has been rendered not only passe but something to be mocked, the poetry of the Romantic Period offers itself as a potent antidote for these modern poisons.  Romantic poetry justifies attention paid to things of the spirit and offers an abiding love for nature’s beauty in the other.  It is upon these bedrock presuppositions that I have written a collection of poems entitled: The Romantic Series in that same tradition.

This collection, a fourteen book series, begins with a volume of poems dedicated to Wordsworth and ends with one devoted to the Bluestocking women of that era.

Beyond the values of spirit and love for one another, this series emphasizes, consistent with the Romantic tradition, that equity toward and for all human beings should reign paramount in our lives.

It is organized chronologically from Romanticism’s beginnings in the 18th century to the later years of the 19th century with the Bluestocking women.  I consider my coverage of such a long span of time to be particularly apropos, given that certain male Romantic poets explicitly espoused gender equality, such as Shelley.  He would have heralded the rise of females’ writing both poetry and prose, in all venues.

There are seven books written for male poets and seven for female.  Each book contains an Author’s Note, footnotes, a postscript on the life of the poet, and an appendix.  All of the poems are written in the poet ’s voice (unless otherwise specified in the footnotes) and all pertain not only to the poet’s life but to the times in which he or she lived.

While this series has a scholarly tone, it can be equally appreciated by the lay reader as well, therefore broadening its appeal across lines of race, class, culture and time;  it is there for all who would choose to open and peruse its treasure.