AboutTed Nesbitt Expertise I am a reference librarian and a former advanced placement English
teacher. I can help identify poems, and I can define literary
terms. In the area of literary criticism or analyses of specific
poems, my experience and interests are these: Shakespeare,
18th- and 19th-century English literature, and American literature.
I prefer short, specific questions on particular authors, poems,
terms, or literary movements. I will not edit lengthy submissions
or write students` assignments.
Experience Masters degree in English.
Highly rated volunteer at the grammar and writing section of Allexperts.com for more than two years.
Question Just a short question: I know a lyric is a form of poem, but I am unsure whether you would say:
'in Shelley's rapturous lyric To a Skylark...'
or
'in Shelley's rapturous lyric poem To a Skylark'
or either, or neither.
Do you know?
Answer Elizabeth:
Your question was sent two hours ago. I don't know why I just got it! Must be the miserable weather we're having.
Either way is correct, but if your reader/audience is not poetry-oriented, you might want to use the second, "in Shelley's rapturous lyric poem 'To a Skylark' . . . . "
Anyone acquainted with poetry would know both Shelley and lyric, but the uninformed might think you were talking about the lyrics of a song, if they didn't know Shelley.
You could also leave out both lyric and poem, if your audience knows what an "ode" is. Then you would say, "In Shelley's ode 'To a Skylark' . . . . "
We should write or say things appropriate for the level of understanding of our readers or audiences. Otherwise, they might be confused.
Ted Nesbitt
Your evaluation of my answer and nomination as volunteer of the month are the ONLY payment I receive for my work at Allexperts. Thank you. TN
