Hi James,
Finely done!
For me the joy of the poem was that I ignored the introduction and just
started with the poem. And then - when I only had 3 or 4 lines left to read
- I realised what you were doing. It really works well.
(is backpack//his pack a typo or an intentional change from the pattern?)
If I said anything else I'd only be repeating what I've already said: Finely
Done!
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: Self Portrait On The Road To Tarascon
>Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 07:58:21 +0000
>
>This is a specular poem, one stanza is a mirror image of the other. It
>seemed appropriate for the subject. The title is from a painting by Van
>Gogh
>that now exists only in reproduction and fascinated Francis Bacon so much
>he
>did a series of six paintings in homage. Tell me what you think.
>
>SELF PORTRAIT ON THE ROAD TO TARASCON
>
>He finally burns in fire-bombed Dresden,
>through his colours, like a cat,
>takes on other lives - remains
>consumed by the landscape he places himself within.
>Not painting, he walks instead
>motionless, outside the space our eyes view him.
>Exact centre
>he portrays an awkward marionette entwined
>in adamantine vertical and horizontal grids
>of horizon trees and road
>with no order of perspective,
>stuck in the never-never land of his journey with backpack
>somewhere between dimensions two and three
>where his shadow finds consolation
>on the picture surface rather than the road -
>yet to face his monsters his form tarries.
>
>Yet to face his monsters his form tarries
>on the picture surface rather than the road -
>where his shadow finds consolation
>somewhere between dimensions two and three
>stuck in the never-never land of his journey with his pack
>with no order of perspective
>of horizon trees and road.
>In adamantine vertical and horizontal grids
>he portrays an awkward marionette entwined.
>Exact centre,
>motionless outside the space our eyes view him,
>not painting, he walks instead
>consumed by the landscape he placed himself within,
>takes on other lives - remains
>through his colours, like a cat.
>He finally burns in fire-bombed Dresden.
>
>
>bw
>James
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
http://www.hotmail.com
|