The Poetical Works


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

Fitz-Greene Halleck was born in the old Connecticut coastal town of Guildford. At age 21 he moved to New York where he worked for nearly 4 decades in the financial world. In 1819 his long satirical poem Fanny was published. In 1820 the death of his close friend Joseph Rodman Drake led to him writing perhaps his best known poem as a tribute. A visit to Europe at age 32 broadened his cultural horizons and led to the writing of poems like Marco Bozzaris, Burns and Alnwick Castle. In 1849, with a small annuity from John Jacob Astor, he retired to his home town to live with his sister. Long years of quiet studious retirement produced the poem Connecticut showing his affection for his home state. He died at Guildford in 1867. After his death a statue of him was erected in Central Park in New York.
Halleck is widely regarded as one of the earliest major American poets and his best poems have regularly appeared in anthologies of American Poetry.
(Summary by Alan Mapstone) (3 hr 28 min)

Chapters

Alnwick Castle 7:07 Read by Alan Mapstone
Marco Bozzaris 6:26 Read by Alan Mapstone
Burns 8:45 Read by Alan Mapstone
Wyoming 6:00 Read by Alan Mapstone
On the death of Joseph Rodman Drake 1:34 Read by Alan Mapstone
Twilight 2:54 Read by De Anna Lee
Psalm CXXXII 1:48 Read by Larry Wilson
To ***** 1:32 Read by Alan Mapstone
The field of the Grounded Arms 4:58 Read by Sonia
Red Jacket 5:59 Read by Sonia
Love 2:36 Read by Sonia
A Sketch 2:17 Read by Larry Wilson
Domestic Happiness 1:32 Read by karmaemmings
Magdalen 3:29 Read by Larry Wilson
From the Italian 2:20 Read by Alan Mapstone
Translation from the German of Goethe 2:49 Read by Alan Mapstone
Woman 2:48 Read by amkelleymd
A Poet's Daughter 4:44 Read by Alan Mapstone
Connecticut 7:13 Read by Alan Mapstone
Music 2:42 Read by De Anna Lee
On the Death of Lieut. Allen 1:45 Read by Inkell
Fanny v. 1-24 10:35 Read by Alan Mapstone
Fanny v. 25-45 9:50 Read by Alan Mapstone
Fanny v. 46-78 11:08 Read by Sonia
Song 2:36 Read by Alan Mapstone
Fanny v. 79-103 10:16 Read by Alan Mapstone
To The Horseboat 2:20 Read by Alan Mapstone
Fanny v. 104-141 12:21 Read by Sonia
Fanny v. 142-175 11:32 Read by Sonia
Song 2:48 Read by Alan Mapstone
The Recorder 15:14 Read by Erin Harkey
To Walter Bowne Esq. 4:04 Read by Inkell
To **** 4:28 Read by karmaemmings
A Fragment 2:16 Read by Inkell
Song, by Miss *** 1:41 Read by karmaemmings
Song, for the Drama of a Spy 1:24 Read by mleigh
Address at the Opening of a New Theatre 3:25 Read by Inkell
The Rhyme of the Ancient Coaster 7:28 Read by Alan Mapstone
Lines to her who can understand them 3:31 Read by Inkell
Extract from an unpublished Poem 10:07 Read by Inkell