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''Juan-y-Pherick's Journey and Other Poems'' is a 1916 collection of poems by W. Walter Gill. The book was published by ''Yn Cheshaght Gailckagh'', the Manx Society, and is Gill's only collection. It is a significant contribution to the literature of the Isle of Man, as there are few other individual poetry collections from this period. At the time of the books' release, Gill was serving as a private in active service in World War I.〔(‘Roll of Honour’ ) by Sophia Morrison in ''Mannin'' Vol VII, May 1916〕 The release was conceived of partly as an extension of Manx literature and culture, being, as it was, the only poetry collection released by the Manx Society other than Williams Cubbon's selection, ''A Manx Poetry Book''. But it was also used as a fundraiser for the war effort, as was announced at its release:〔(‘Notices of Books’ ) by P. W. Caine, ''Mannin'' Vol VII, May 1916〕
The book contained 31 poems, seven of which had appeared in print before: ‘Lament of the Mother Tongue’ and ‘The Ould Times’ in ''Mannin'' (Volumes I and V),〔''Mannin'' edited by Sophia Morrison, (Vol. I, May 1913 ) and (Vol V. May 1915 )〕 and 'Friends', 'Vespers', 'A Fancy', 'To an Exile', 'Exile to Exile' and 'Lament of the Mother Tongue' in ''A Book of Manx Poetry'' edited by William Cubbon.〔(''A Book of Manx Poetry'' ) edited by William Cubbon, Douglas, The Manx Language Society, 1913〕 Two of the poems were based on others' work; 'Inscription for a Crucifix' is a translation of Victor Hugo, and 'Lament of the Mother Tongue' is a verse version of W. J. Cain's literal translation from the Manx of William Kennish's 'Dobberan Chengey ny Mayrey' which was first published in 1840. The poems are predominantly pensive or melancholic in mood, with winter or night as recurring settings or themes for nearly half of the collection. Other key themes include nature and the landscape, home and exile, and a foreboding of mortality. In contrast to other poetry and writing from the Isle of Man at this time, Gill's collection is striking for its relative absence of overt nationalism or sentimentality. This was commented on questioningly in a review in ''Mannin'', the journal of The Manx Society, upon the book's release in 1916:〔
Despite such controlled reviews of the book upon its release, it came to be considered by Mona Douglas, one of the leading figures of the Manx Cultural Revival, to be Gill's 'best and most original contribution to Manx Culture', even over his highly renowned ''Manx Scrapbooks''.〔''This is Ellan Vannin'', Mona Douglas, 1965, Chapter 28〕 One example of the tone of Gill's poetry can be found in ''October'', a poem thatillustrates his unsentimental use of nature in his work::
The title poem of the collection, 'Juan-y-Pherick's Journey', is the story of a delusional homeless man who travels the Isle of Man begging and preaching. His name is the Manx version of 'John of Patrick'. P. W. Caine, in his review of the collection, said of this poem that it was "profoundly interesting, if not always convincing".〔 A letter to ''Mannin'' by J. R. Moore of Ashburton, New Zealand, suggested that the poem might be based on two real-life characters, Chalse y Killey and Thom Delby.〔(‘Correspondences’ ) in ''Mannin'' Vol VIII, November 1916〕 ==Quotes== * Our finite hearts thirst for the infinite sea. (''Exile to Exile'') * Watchful lights of a distant coast / Opening and closing like the yellow eyes of lions. (''Lights'') * Our women doze uneasily, / Their dreams made bitter by the sea. (''Thoughts after Storm'') * Nights that besiege our dreams with death. (''The Cottage'') * Shine back, O moon, day's lost delights, or weave / Their memories into dreams. (''Vespers'') * The tendrils travel, but the root remains. (''Home'') 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Juan-y-Pherick’s Journey and Other Poems」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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