Hi James,
This is delightful! The words about the way wood is worked convinces me that
this is how it happened! But the whole poem creates a whole world for me. I
can smell what’s there, hear the small sounds...
Without scurrying off to brush up my Shakespeare I don’t know about that.
But I get a feeling that what you recollect of Ol Bill in the poem must
connect. (I’m looking forward to having a few moments and getting to know
more about the characters you mention).
I particularly like the last stanza... (Perhaps, for me, the magic is
started, there, because the whole poem seems to be a tale that lasts all
winter and yet, here, you focus on one minute! I like that!)
Bob
>From: James Bell <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: New sub: Boat Building - A Winter's Tale
>Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 08:09:05 +0000
>
>Sorry, a bit more Shakespeare allusion. I've also used a lot of technical
>terms which I find has its own poetry. See what you think.
>
>BOAT BUILDING - A WINTERS TALE
>
>Worst of many sounds amongst the voices,
>of tapping, grinding and sawing - a plank
>begins to split, prelude to starting a line
>of fresh timber, its own cadenza in a concerto,
>the notes found in thicknessing, planing and cutting
>fore and aft, a bevel along the full length
>to fit complex joints and rivet all over again.
>
>Time is costed in days throughout winter,
>includes the pauses for coffee huddles round
>a wood burning stove that eats off-cuts continuously,
>while we watch her lines form into gracefulness
>some weeks after the crucial laying of the keel
>in our season of private boat building alchemy.
>Only true love could make us carry on.
>
>One minute her wood is all sweetness
>where shavings slide off like slivers of cheese -
>next knotty, awkward, makes the plane blade
>slip, judder. All this to see her come to life;
>we are a collective Leontes and she, always she,
>our Hermione, close to a first kiss of paint.
>
>
>bw
>James
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
>http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
http://www.hotmail.com
|
