Intro
Welcome to the May 2025 issue of the Grammaticus Newsletter! The month of May comes with some important dates and anniversaries, literary and otherwise. From Walt Whitman's birthday to World Tea Day, here you'll find posts covering at least some of them. If you have any feedback, don't hesitate to contact me. Until next month, take care!
Books & Literature
A poem for World Bee Day: “How Doth the Little Busy Bee” by Isaac Watts
In this blog post you can read Isaac Watts' delightful 18th century poem "How Doth the Little Busy Bee," but also find out a little something about Anton Janša, Slovenian apiarist whose work laid the foundation of modern beekeeping.
How to interpret a poem (with a little help from Walt Whitman)
Same as with visual arts or classical music, sometimes it’s difficult to understand complex symbolism or to follow a poet’s train of thought. And what to do with poems that feel like a string of random words that make no sense at all? Or those that are too archaic and full of arcane, outdated words and phrases?
Book review: “Elizabeth and Her German Garden” by Elizabeth von Arnim
This book is a very nicely written novel, with gorgeous descriptions of a quiet, provincial life, offering glimpses into the lives of northern German landed gentry of the late 1800s.
Classics
Farewell to Bithynia! – Catullus 46
"Catullus 46" is a delightful 1st century BC Latin poem about the arrival of spring and the excitement of travel. The post includes a verse-by-verse Latin word analysis, English translation, and links to additional resources on this Latin poet.
Culture & Media
Films and documentaries on Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman, ‘the good grey poet’, was born in Huntington, New York, on 31 May 1819. In this post I will present several films and documentaries that will help you get acquainted with him and his poetry - all easily accessible online.
Learning English
Arum maculatum: A plant with a hundred names
In this blog post you can read a bit about Arum maculatum, a beautiful but highly toxic plant that has had many uses throughout history. It has over a hundred different names in English, and here you can learn some of them.
English vocabulary lesson: Tea
May 21 is celebrated as World Tea Day. Have a look at this vocabulary lesson and learn some key tea-related words!
Listening tips
Listening tips: Tea culture
A beverage so simple, and yet with such a complex and intriguing history, cultural presence, and plenty of health benefits. If you’re a tea lover, I think you’ll enjoy this post; but even if you’re not, you’ll be sure to find lots of interesting information on different aspects of tea culture.
Learn English using news podcasts
This article is for those who have neither the time nor the patience to listen to hour-long programmes, but would like quick and more manageable 5-to-10-minute sound bites.