Student Scholarship
Document Type
Research Paper
Abstract
The honors project titled Between the Moon and Thistle, represents a sophisticated collection of modernist poetry and lyrical impressions. The work is structured into three primary sections: Sonnets to Adonais, Poems, and Impressions, followed by a smaller group of lighthearted entries titled Verses for Diversion. Throughout the manuscript, Littleton explores the fluid boundaries between sensory perception and intellectual abstraction, frequently using nature—specifically the transition of seasons and the elements of wind, water, and light—as a conduit for philosophical inquiry.
In the opening sonnet sequence dedicated to Keats, the author utilizes the motif of a hawk to symbolize the poet's ability to transcend the brittle instances of time and find vibrant meaning within the silence of the senses. This theme of transcendence continues through poems like Equivocations of Mortality, where the moon is likened to an autumn thistle, and the human form is depicted as a fallen star struggling against the axioms of time. Littleton’s work often reflects a preoccupation with the isolation of the self and the limitations of language, suggesting that true communion between individuals may only exist in the spaces between words or in music that trembles beyond sound.
The collection also displays a grounded awareness of its mid-century context, with references to the curdled years between war and peace and the industrial rhythmic beat of oil wells. The technical execution of the poetry is informed by an extensive list of readings that includes influential figures such as W.H. Auden, T.S. Eliot, Edith Sitwell, and Wallace Stevens. Ultimately, the project serves as a meditation on the permanence of art against the fleeting nature of human existence.
Research Highlights
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Primary Figures: Betty Jack Littleton authored the project; the text includes references to and works inspired by John Keats, William Wordsworth, and Edith Sitwell.
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Key Events: The project consists of a curated collection of original poems organized into sections titled "Sonnets to Adonais," "Poems," "Impressions," and "Verses for Diversion," followed by an extensive list of literary readings.
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Date/Location: The project was submitted on April 23, 1951; the content references various geographic and cultural settings including the Seneca Stomp Dance, oil wells in open fields, and urban streetscapes.
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Archival Significance: The work documents mid-20th-century collegiate creative writing through a blend of traditional sonnets and modern free verse; it includes a bibliography of influential 20th-century literary criticism and poetry from authors such as T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, and Wallace Stevens.
Publication Date
4-1951
Recommended Citation
Little, Betty Jack, "Between the Moon and Thistle" (1951). Student Scholarship. 141.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/student-research-papers/141
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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