George Meredith--Modern Love

Maybe a later time is better for many. Sunset will be at 7:34pm, so we'll start at 5:30pm.

What better way to celebrate not only these delicious spring days but also the first wave of fair weather attention this group has had this year in membership commitments than by having an outdoor rally around the subject of LOVE! We'll see an example of how pleasure, passion and philosophy, and paranoia play out in a remarkable relationship. This is a 50-poem sequence of 16-line "sonnets." It has been called "a novelette in sonnet form." For the most part, I will be asking why the poem is made the way it is, while seeking in our discussion to deepen our understanding of the poem's purpose, form, language and substance.

Here's a link to a copy of the Poem:
http://www.theotherpa...

This will be an introduction session, and will be used to acquaint our newest participants with our method. I'll be sitting on one of the benches between the lake and the Casino trying to make meaningful eye contact with anyone who looks familiar. In the case of a torrential downpour, we will meet at the Towne Restaurant on Allen St. in Buffalo. Be sure to RSVP to be eligible for one of our fabulous door prizes. Yes I know that I still owe two people their prizes, but be sure that I have them.

From herein all regular meetings will begin with a brief chat and introduction of new and old members. We will then start with a review of the four rules of Shared Inquiry. The leader will pose the first question and discussion will generally last for an hour and an half, with the first and greater portion of the meeting emphasizing interpretation and the second part evaluation. We'll end with post-discussion comments and critique. Since this is a social and not merely intellectual group, continuing friendly conversation beyond the formalized session is always encouraged.