Yes Bob I know what you mean. But must tell you this. Somewhere along the
line I read a book by Tony Curtis called How Poets Work.
Just found the book sitting on my book shelf laughing at me. Here is the
quote from Don Paterson "I remember Michael Langley saying poems need a
sperm and an ovum, a male and female component; two things go together....."
Somehow this quote stuck in my mind and came out in the poem the other day.
He further goes on to say and yippeee I think I have got this right.
"according to Langley's analogy: the act of composition is a love affair and
the poem itself the offspring, Like all love affairs, the poem should
surprise or scare the shit out of you....." page157 The Dilemma of the poet
by Don Paterson.
I didn't know at the time of writing this poem that it would lead me to a
bigger truth as I am now totally intrigue with what else Paterson has to say
about spirituality in poetry. I am agreeing with his philosphy at the moment
as I am reading the book inbetween writing this. Thanks for leading me back
to this book Bob. It is inspiring me. B. W. Sally J






>From: Bob Cooper <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: New sub Living words
>Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 17:23:27 +0000
>
>Hi Sally,
>I'm thinking of a way of saying:
>Ah, there's no safe poetry - like there's no safe sex!
>But I can't think of one. I like the directness of the metaphor here!
>And I'm reminded of someone once talking about some 17th Century poetry
>being "ejaculatory poetry" - but I won't say that either.
>I'm chuckling at the playfulness!
>Bob
>
>
>
>
>>From: Sally James <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: New sub Living words
>>Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 22:21:16 +0000
>>
>>Living words
>>
>>An embryo of this poem
>>slept in my mind
>>like a comma
>>an undivided thought
>>waiting to be fertilized
>>by the sperm of belief
>>explode into life
>>like love.
>>
>>Sally James
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________
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>
>
>Hi Sally,
>I'm thinking of a way of saying:
>Ah, there's no safe poetry - like there's no safe sex!
>But I can't think of one. I like the directness of the metaphor here!
>And I'm reminded of someone once talking about some 17th Century poetry
>being "ejaculatory poetry" - but I won't say that either.
>Now I'm thinking if this is what a comma's like, what about brackets... or
>-
>wore still - dashes! (Oh, I'm going to think about something else!)
>Bob
>
>
>
>
>>From: Sally James <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: New sub Living words
>>Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 22:21:16 +0000
>>
>>Living words
>>
>>An embryo of this poem
>>slept in my mind
>>like a comma
>>an undivided thought
>>waiting to be fertilized
>>by the sperm of belief
>>explode into life
>>like love.
>>
>>Sally James
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________
>>STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
>>http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
>
>
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