Hi Arthur,
H'm... you're wondering about interpretations: "Perhaps it's both and
neither, which would leave me gasping. I'll trouble over it a little more."
That's one of the troubles with these huge trucks - you see them, you never
know what's in them!
And thanks for showing me something about stanza 3 I hadn't considered from
enough angles!
Bob


>From: Arthur Seeley <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: The Red Truck...
>Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2003 18:47:33 -0000
>
>A bit of a problem poem , this one, Bob.
>Extended metaphors are always demanding upon reader sand writer I find
>What I find teasing is the intention.
>Is it Christmas as potentially a runaway articulated vehicle to be feared
>and hated for the fear it generates, an anti -Christmas tirade?? Knowing
>your calling I wonder if that is so.
>Or is the red truck the winter solstice the point due to reverse the long
>nights and bring back fire and warmth to our skies, again slightly pagan
>and
>not sure.
>Perhaps its both and neither, which would leave me gasping. I'll trouble
>over it a little more.
>Just one nit. In strophe three 'telling ' and 'telly' are rather close,
>that
>is physically in the poem. perhaps warning = telling would help.
>one last thought ' darkness to darkness' does hint at the solstice a
>little,
>Regards Arthur.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bob Cooper" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 3:09 PM
>Subject: New: The Red Truck...
>
>
>Here's one for some C&C:
>
>
>The Red Truck At The Heart Of Winter
>
>December's a 38 ton articulated truck
>full and powering down from way up north,
>snow almost as solid as ice in its wheel-arches
>and the sky it hurtles under is cast-iron cold
>
>and you hope it speeds on, that motorways,
>dual-carriageways, roads with well lit signs
>will keep it in motion - if it hisses at lights
>you can stand well back, long for it to move,
>
>recreate its momentum over trembling miles
>and not slew into the warmth of a house,
>become a wall with no fireplace, just the telly
>and a newsreader telling of ice on the roads -
>
>let its rumble merely quiver the streets
>as it keeps on trucking through dark nights,
>that its tail-lights will reassuringly gleam
>distancing you from such fearful weight,
>
>because it's not on an endless journey -
>eventually there's a ramp where it will squeal,
>beep and reverse before it's back doors open
>and gloved hands will tug, lug out its heavy cartons,
>
>drag its cargo from darkness to darkness
>and inside each pack, yet more boxes inside boxes
>that will be rewrapped to become awkward or pleasing
>in homes by fingers unaware of the cold.
>
>
>Bob Cooper
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Use MSN Messenger to send music and pics to your friends
>http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself with cool emoticons - download MSN Messenger today!
http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger