Archive - Word & Song by Anthony Esolen

"Bridge over Troubled Water"

Paul Simon can be described as a poet with a head full of music. He was heavily influenced by the ballads of his early youth and the folk music revival…

Apr 1, 2023 •

Prayer for My Daughter

The poet is awake late at night overlooking the sea, as a storm rages outside. It’s not that he fears for himself, but his little child, a baby girl…

Oct 16, 2024 •

8:29

You may be surprised to learn that Patrick was not an Irish name, but was a common Roman name, Patricius, meaning fatherly, or holding the authority of…

Mar 17 •

6:50

What Wondrous Love Is This?

When I arrived in Chapel Hill, NC, as a new graduate student in English, I had never heard a single Appalachian hymn, nor was I aware that there were…

Aug 29, 2023

My New Year's Resolution

Anthony Esolen Speaks / Read or listen now.

Jan 3 •

9:21

What better place to look for "justice" than in a good old-fashioned Country & Western song? Give a listen!

Jun 15, 2024 •

Great characters in fiction are often prone to melancholy and need someone to brighten their days and keep them from indulging too much in sweet…

Feb 17 •

7:12

Plato said that education is about getting the right music into your soul, or having your soul be formed and fashioned by it.

Apr 7 •

5:19

All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by!

Jun 25 •

4:51

Holiness implies more than separateness. It implies a kind of perfection that goes beyond our what our words can describe of goodness, power, wisdom.

Apr 14 •

5:59

George Herbert’s “Matins” is really a kind of dramatic poem, because the poet isn’t the only one awake at dawning. God has anticipated him!

Jan 8 •

5:05

Leader of the Band

Dan Fogelberg's Tribute to His Father

Jun 17, 2023 •

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