Book Description

As found in the Roman Missal, the Dies Irae is a Latin poem of fifty-seven lines in accentual (non-quantitative), rhymed, trochaic metre. It comprises nineteen stanzas, of which the first seventeen follow the type of the first stanza: Dies irae, dies illa, Solvet saecum in favilla: Teste David cum Sibylla. The remaining stanzas discard the scheme of triple rhymes in favour of rhymed couplets, while the last two lines use assonance instead of rhyme and are, moreover, catalectic: Lacrimosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favilla, Judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce Deus: Pie Jesu Domine, Dona eis requiem. Amen. The Dies Irae is the opening image of In Understanding Dominic - A Folio of the Poetical Writings of Jeffrey Keith Gough. The protagonist of the work is Dominic, a fictitious character, who is a deeply religious Catholic man, troubled in his relationships with others; especially in his interactions with the women closest to him. His quest for meaning in his life - and relevance in his work - is enduring throughout the work. Dominic's focus on death - and his yearning for the grave in order to obtain relief from his misery and tribulations - is disturbing. An insightful collection of reflections, which shed light onto the eyes of a man in turmoil, whose heart, mind, and soul are never truly satisfied. Recommended reading for those seeking an appreciation of how a small minority of troubled people may view the world and the people around them.