Celtic writers, the writers of ancient Britain, often told stories of secret subterranean passages that led to the world of fairies, dwarves, dragons, and nymphs. These secret passage ways were usually hollow rocks or trees, that served as doors into new dimensions of experience and adventure. What would you say if I offered to take you through a literary subterranean passage, whereby you could explore the wisdom of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and humanists of the Renaissance; explore the deep recesses of your soul; learn virtue, and expand your view of the world? Such are the indisputable benefits of Renaissance poetry. With eminent creators such as William Shakespeare, Edward Spencer and Sir Philip Sydney, Renaissance poetry is a literary treasure chest of delights, guaranteed to enrich all those who find it. 

     The sixteenth century, otherwise known as the high Renaissance, was one of the most exciting periods in European history. The creative flowering of this age produced some of the greatest artists, humanists, and explorers of history: Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo, Roger Van Der Weyden, Sir Philip Sidney; the Dutch humanist Erasmus; Galeleo; explorers Amerigo Vespucci and Vasco de Gama. As a time of great artistic, intellectual and scientific exploration, European civilization was in the midst of rapid change and expansion. The Protestant reformation spread like wild fire throughout Europe, producing a new creed of spiritual freedom, and ironically a new breed of religious factionalism. However, the creative spirit of the Renaissance was not limited to the artistic world of painters, humanists, explorers and scientists. It gave birth to an exciting new age of literature pioneered by Shakespeare, Ben Johnson, Sir Philip Sidney and many others. These Renaissance poets, many who viewed themselves as vates, or literary prophets of a new golden age of literature, produced exciting works that, for a variety of compelling reasons are worthy of consideration today.

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