Hi Bob,
I enjoyed the journey with you. I know Royal Crescent, being an Edinburgh
native, though as a townie the Lochs didn't mean much. Technically I like
how you have formed the poem though I sensed it got lost up north in stanza
three on the pizza bit then recovers i the next stanza. Just that slight
break in tone spoilt it a little for me, otherwise as exquisite as your many
other poems.
bw
James
>From: Bob Cooper <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: North
>Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2002 17:14:42 +0000
>
>Hey, I thought I said I probably wouldn't be posting one for a while! Well,
>I did say that... but:
>
>North
>
>That was the summer of much
>sun between moors and clouds.
>And we’d climbed the warm grit
>Widdop and watched the moon
>cool on Bulgarian red gibbous
>unfinished like conversations.
>
>Ignoring the flags onto the Ranges
>South Yardhope for a classic line
>blank rock nowhere to lunge
>how we did that final smear
>I don’t know slow
>vertical swimming but we did.
>Headed further north.
>
>Royal Crescent through windows
>Tommy Smith practicing scales
>then Blue Train. Phone
>YOU PHONE, WE COME, PIZZA
>with olives more red
>mauve sky the cannon ranged
>between chimneys and clouds
>aimed low at a sultry moon.
>
>Waking to thin pale day
>your foot on the sill
>bare knee thigh drying hair
>out back a blackbird hollering
>as I open my eyes and smile.
>
>And further north still
>evening unreeling stretched
>like a road between mountains
>a cassette Paul Wittgenstein’s
>Ravel veering left north
>by north-west Loch Clair
>Liathach winding down
>the length of Loch Torridon
>revealed midnight’s light.
>
>Bob Cooper
>
>
>Some footnotes (for thos who may not have a UK map to hand):
>The places mentioned, Widdop (near where Arthur lives), South Yardhope (in
>Northumberland - near Otterburn), Royal Crescent (near - well nearly near -
>where Sally lives - is in Edinburgh's New Town) and Liathach (sometimes,
>and for this poem, pronounced "Leee-Ak") is (quite a lot) further north
>still...
>
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>_________________________________________________________________
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bw
James
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