The official class Twitter feed of Dr Robert G. May, Associate Professor, Department of English, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
Kingston, Ontario
Joined August 2011
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Welcome, fall and winter #ENGL100 and #ENGL200 students, and fall #CWRI 273 students! Best wishes for a successful term and course! queensu.ca/academia/drrgmay/
#ENGL200 students: Here’s an article on how Herrick’s poetry contains subtle jabs at Puritans, those “sourpusses who not only disliked feasting and frolic but wanted to … create laws … to eradicate any and all delights connected to the Christian year”: druidstaresback.substack.com…
Are you a 1st- or 2nd-year student looking for someone to help you navigate university life? The ASUS Mentorship Program can connect you with upper-year mentors for guidance and support! The program is free, and mentee applications are now open: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…
🤖 Made with AI
#CWRI273 students: Today we looked at "Journeywoman," Kate Braid's memoir about being a woman in a male-dominated trade. I said one scene reminded me of a 1952 episode of I Love Lucy, in which things similarly go awry for Lucy and Ethel. Enjoy!: youtube.com/watch?v=K3axU2b0…
#ENGL100 students, here is an excellent virtual tour of the Globe in London, a modern-day theatre built to the same specifications as Shakespeare’s original Globe: shakespearesglobe.com/discov…
Have a Happy Hallowe'en! 🎃 And remember Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend: don't forget to set your clocks back one hour! ⏰
Doc Friday: Every Friday, Dr May shares a reading or writing document from his Web site. Did you know that MLA in-text citations may look slightly different for prose, poetry, and drama? Find out the details in "Citing Prose, Poetry, and Drama": queensu.ca/academia/drrgmay/…
You Are Invited: Think Grad Studies: Curious about graduate school? Explore your options in Arts and Science! Register: queensu.ca/artsci/think-grad…
In "carpe diem" poetry, a male persona tries to persuade a female beloved to "seize the day" by indulging in physical love. I asked #ENGL200 students which was more persuasive: Herrick's "To the Virgins" or Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress." Herrick won, but by a hair! Thoughts?
#CWRI273 students: In “Cucarachas,” Madeline Sonik alludes to Woodsy Owl, the official mascot of the U.S. Forest Service in the 1970s and 80s who uttered the famous phrase, “Give a hoot, don’t pollute.” You can see Woodsy in action here: youtube.com/watch?v=y98fEMwy…
You Are Invited: Book Launch Squared, featuring poetry and fiction by Jason Heroux, Sophie Anne Edwards, Grace, Jaime Forsythe, and Stuart Ross. Tues. 10 Nov. 2026, 7.00 p.m., Novel Idea (156 Princess St).
Study Abroad Opportunity: Scottish Universities' International Summer School (SUISS): Study abroad in Scotland this summer! Courses in creative writing, British theatre, Queer Studies, and more! Scholarship opportunities available. More info and apply: suiss.ed.ac.uk
#ENGL200 students: In “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” John Donne compares love to gold leaf: “Like gold to airy thinness beat” (24). Did you know that gold leaf can be up to 1000 times thinner than paper? Here’s an interesting video on how it's made: youtube.com/watch?v=k7dgrTuC…
#ENGL100 students: William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was adapted to film in 1996, starring Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia and Ben Kingsley as Feste. Watch the trailer here: youtube.com/watch?v=R39jE4SU…
You Are Invited: Double Book Launch, featuring poetry by Cynthia French and fiction by Frances Boyle. Tues. 27 Oct. 2026, 7.00 p.m. - 8.30 p.m., Novel Idea (156 Princess St.).
What is "close reading"? The definition is contentious, but it involves subjecting a work to an analysis to reveal what Edward Said calls "a whole library of meanings." How do you do it? Also contentious, but here's a great resource to get you started!: closereadingarchive.org/teac…
Doc Friday: Every Friday, Dr May shares a reading or writing document from his Web site. How do you structure an essay with its three components of introduction (with thesis), analytical paragraphs, and conclusion? Find out in "Essay Writing Notes": queensu.ca/academia/drrgmay/…
Call for Submissions: Paracelsus Publications invites submissions to its October 2026 issue devoted to decay and delusions. Submissions: 500 - 3,000 words. Due date: 25 Oct. 2026. More information and submission hub: forms.gle/ZQ81jWESYBGJTrQo8
I asked #CWRI273 students for examples of "overused expressions," phrases that have lost their effectiveness through repeated use over time. Make your writing more dynamic and compelling by replacing "overused expressions" with fresher, more original alternatives!
You Are Invited: The Graduate English Society presents its annual Used Book Sale. 28-29 Oct. 2026, 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m., Room 115, John Watson Hall. Books from 25 cents!
#CWRI273 students: Wayne Grady has a great Web site, where you can read about his fiction, non-fiction, and translations, including his recent book Pandexicon, a collection of essays about how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped and changed the English language: waynegrady.ca/books/nonficti…
