Notes

Good afternoon. My name is Rayne Shen. Today, I will be declaiming the poem, “Adam's Curse,” by William Butler Yeats, written in 1903. “Adam's Curse” is about the idea of beauty, including in arts and romance, doesn't come naturally to people; it's the result of hard work. Talking with two female companions (his unrequited love interest and her friend), the poem's speaker argues that poetry is much more difficult than it seems. And now, without further ado, here is “Adam's Curse” by William Butler Yeats: [PAUSE, then BEGIN]
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish literary establishment who helped to found the Abbey Theater
the difficulty one faces when losing their memory, and the adverse effects it has on a person’s mental and emotional state. This condition may result in frustration and confusion regarding one’s acquaintances, surroundings, and their general ability to retrieve information.
Poet Peter Schneider and his wife, Pat, co-founded the Amherst Writers and Artists Press, a non-profit organization that provides writing workshops for developing writers in their community. In this way, these poets give back to their community of fellow aspiring writers, in the hopes that they, themselves, might not be forgotten.