The Greatest Corner on Earth

By: Courtney Snodgrass

         

My study abroad trip to England brought a lot of firsts for me. It would be my first time flying, my first time out of the country, my first time needing a passport, and my first time being away from home for as long as we were. But England is somewhere that I’ve always wanted to go. I’ve always admired their passion and excitement for literature and arts. As a writer, I’ve even considered obtaining dual citizenship in the country because they support and encourage the artistic side of life so much. I’ve never considered myself to be outstanding in math and science and subjects that have a set arithmetic to them. Writing and literature and art allows me to interpret things how I want to, and use my imagination. So as I was signing up for classes a couple springs ago and the opportunity presented itself, there was no way that I could miss this chance to travel halfway across the world to the country I’ve always wanted to go to.

            On our first official day abroad, we battled some jetlag, or at least, I did. That didn’t stop the excitement I had to see Shakespeare’s Globe. Shakespeare is my idol, my role model, my inspiration. He’s literally the father of literature, and being that he originated in England, I knew seeing his stage would be everything that I could imagine. Walking into the amazing globe, I was speechless. The stage was more perfect than I thought it could be. I was in love.

            But that’s not what I want to talk about. Shakespeare is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but I found something that inspired me even more. Actually, not something, but somewhere. And that somewhere is called, “Poet’s Corner” in Westminster Abbey. It’s almost exactly what it sounds like: a corner dedicated to poets and writers and playwrights (obviously because Shakespeare is remembered there). But so is Christopher Marlowe and T.S. Eliot and Ted Hughes, as well as so many others that I can’t tell you because you just need to experience it for yourself. I only wish photography was allowed inside the abbey because I would’ve taken a picture of every single person in the corner. I never knew this existed and all I want to do is be remembered in Poet’s Corner.

            London in general is a city that I would recommend to anyone, but furthermore, I would recommend visiting Westminster Abbey because of the beautiful architecture and the beautiful artwork inside, but also because of Poet’s Corner. The greatest writers of all time are buried/remembered in that corner and there’s nothing better to see. I can’t wait for the next opportunity to go back to England. The experience that I had was unlike any other.