Featured Poem: by Emily Dickinson

This week's poem has been chose by Paul Eccles, a  newly graduated English student from the University of Liverpool and a volunteer marketing assistant at The Reader Organisation.

Glory is that bright tragic thing

That for an instant

Means Dominion --

Warms some poor name

That never felt the Sun,

Gently replacing

In oblivion --

by Emily Dickinson

A year to the day Michael Phelps was part of the American swimming team that won the 4x100m medley relay at the Beijing Olympics. In doing so Phelps became the first Olympian to win eight gold medals in the same Olympic games. One would expect such an achievement to sustain his status as a vision of glory from now until forever, but can glory ever be so long-lasting?