Hi Sally,

I would have finished the poem on "and remember you" though it stops us
knowing the remembrance is of a child, though on the other hand it would
IMHO be a more satisfying finish as the last three lines bring in a tone of
sentiment that is not overtly present in the rest of the poem.

My sub to Poetry Scotland must have finished by now so I'll have to send
another fiver to the Trossachs.

Hope the evening went well/ I was in Newcastle a couple of months ago.



bw
James




>From: Sally Evans <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: New Sub: First book and SallyE in Newcastle
>Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 06:04:42 +0000
>
>Hi folks I am reading in Bridge Hotel Newcastle on Weds 24th at Bridge
>Hotel
>near High Level Bridge, as part of a big line up for Amnesty.from about 7
>pm.  As I crashed the car on Skye last week, it will be difficult to
>persuade my husband that this is a good idea - but I expect to be there!
>
>Here is a little something I have jost written for c & c
>
>First Book
>
>With your hands you open things,
>with your eyes you see words
>and pictures, letters, colours.
>In your mind you recognise,
>in your fingers, feel
>and with your heart, taste
>An Apple
>
>Your book is the past and the present,
>the past is the present.
>You pulled books all over the floor
>out of a box.
>You totter round the room
>bearing one at random,
>at the beginning of a story
>printed on seven pages of pasteboard
>that may be as simple as it seems.
>
>Or it may open cages,
>enliven dragons,
>stir up a tide of questions
>in the nursery of your soul,
>all that the great men
>and wise women of the past
>have wished downwards
>to new beginnings
>in you,
>
>as you carry the proud smile
>of ownership of concepts,
>gripping and pointing.
>If ever computer
>is read under a tree
>or carried in duffel pocket
>I shall call it An Apple
>and remember you,
>baby grasping
>your first taste
>of knowledge.
>
>Sally Evans