Dear Bob,
Many thanks for your comments.
Explanations of the last part-it's based on the idea of driving off 'the
dogs' summoned by the bitch on heat. Throw a bucket of water over them-
standard advice to discourage amorous activity. Also citronella is a strong
citrus smell that masks other odours and is off-putting for animals.The
garlic is another obvious repellent, but Lucifer would rather it was used
for his next meal.
Deep swarm is an image that comes to me from watching too much sci-fi. I
thought of the angels in tiered ranks, flying in a deep cloud as a battle
formation. The great sirens are the great alarm sirens of Hell. Never heard
of 'em? They must exist though, eh?
Bugle me, boys, This is an echo of that great film The Sweet Smell of
Success,in which the horrible character played by Burt Lancaster is
continually commanding 'Match me, Sidney' - ie light my cigarette. Bugle me,
boys, I think means, Give me a fanfare, I'm on my way...
 I don't know if that clears it up at all.I never try to be enigmatic or
unclear for the sake of it, but I realise sometimes I compress a bit.
Kind regards,
  grasshopper


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Cooper" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 2:05 PM
Subject: Re: [THE-WORKS] New sub-Lucifer on the news (language warning)


> Hi grasshopper
> A sizzler of a poem! It never lets me relax or lets me loose. I'm gripped
by
> it to the end.
>
> The last parts:
> "Dip the buckets in Lethe, fill flasks
> with citronella (save the garlic
> for my gazpacho). Shrill the great sirens
> and launch the squadrons to deep swarm
> again. Bugle me, boys, and remember:
> brightness hides the enemy."
>
> still puzzles me more than grabs me though... (I love the music of the
> lines, but I'm baffled by the ways the words work as carriers of meaning)
> I'm not yet able to link Lucifer with The Lethe, or with garlic,
citronella,
> and gazpacho...
> I'm also not able to work out (yet) what and where the "great sirens"
are...
> And "deep swarm" puzzles me. It sounds great but I'm not yet able to find
a
> meaning for it... (Part of me wants to link it with insects - which links
in
> with the citronella, which in often an insect repellant, but I'm still
> letting that soak in...)
> Is "bugle me" an equvalent to saying "phone me" (ie get in touch when you
> arrive).
> It all feels like the list clue in a crossword - I keep struggling with
the
> clue and looking at the letters I've already got but the answer isn't yet
> bursting into my mind.
> But the last words "and remember: brightness hides the enemy." really
sings
> loudly! A whazzer of a last statement to make.
> The title "Lucifer On The News" makes me want to link the Lucifer
> myth/fable/stories to what's on the (TV/Radio) News - and I find I'm
> thinking about everything that's developing in and around Iraq. Part of me
> thinks this poem's creating (recreating?) a myth to say what's behind the
> news... At least that's my impressions as I've been reading.
> But I'm sometimes not too bright in making connections (!) and I sense
> no-one else may have been as puzzled as I by the links/references/images
in
> the lines I've quoted.
> Bob
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: grasshopper <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: New sub-Lucifer on the news (language warning)
> >Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 12:31:12 -0000
> >
> >(Strong language warning)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Lucifer on the news
> >
> >
> >You tell me the earth is bleeding -
> >so what? The old bitch is in heat again,
> >forging a wake of blood-spots
> >as she whines at the sky.
> >Tell me what you think she summons
> >from the darkness, what lurks outside
> >the yard, sniffing, cock twitching with must?
> >Oh, the angels of light would be at
> >the latch, flinging the gate wide.
> >They worship fertility with every quill-quiver,
> >but they can't fuck - there's the juice.
> >They'd hover over the whelping
> >like cramp-bellied buzzards. Sex
> >thrills them, the mad abundance of sperm,
> >seed and spawn lavish as Solomon's wealth.
> >They swoon in the vicarious heat
> >of passion, melt in mirrored comes,
> >eyes raised and narrowed to lasers.
> >
> >Spread your dark wings, lads, drive off
> >the dogs, ride shot-gun to prevent
> >that curse of belly. I could have snipped
> >the cord long ago, ended the threat,
> >but the governor claims it's unnatural,
> >that all possibilities must be allowed.
> >He won't open the gate, but if it were
> >to swing ajar, with a breeze, a waft
> >of pinions, a nudge of sandal-sole -
> >well, that's already accounted for
> >in the long-range plan. It's his job
> >to dream, and our duty to act.
> >Dip the buckets in Lethe, fill flasks
> >with citronella (save the garlic
> >for my gazpacho). Shrill the great sirens
> >and launch the squadrons to deep swarm
> >again. Bugle me, boys, and remember:
> >brightness hides the enemy.
> >
> >                            grasshopper
>
>
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