> Hello Bob,
            Sorry to confuse you like this. The fault´s all mine, or rather the poem´s, which now has its own independent existence in the real world, absolving the author of responsibility. The tenant´s gone, Wordsworth doesn´t feature (though he did row out onto a lake, but it was a different lake) there´s still a lot of disconnectedness though. The `you´ is not the reader, luckily, gosh, that would have been a trifle impolite! I´m sort of hoping that in the revised version there´s just one connection to be made, between Midas and the `you´ who is possibly the poet addressing himself. The two figures might be compared and both have been a bit foolish. The donkey along with the ability to transform materials comes from the Midas myth, so does the foolishness. Midas was a renowned silly-Billy. So, in the new version, does the foaming spring, it´s here Midas washed himself of the curse of turning everything to gold. My character in the poem seems to have made a blunder of similar proportions, though what it is he doesn´t say......and I´m not telling! The sentence starting `To that time and place....´ is inverted.


Best wishes,
`still having problems with this one of Finland´ (aka Mike)






> 
> Hi Mike,
> 
> I'm having problems in reading this - the words seem to be in 
> grammer-sentence order but the full stops ain't! I'm thinking of the third 
> sentence here; the one that begins with "To"
> 
> The rowing image reminds me of that passage of Wordsworth where, as a child, 
> he rows across a lake... (somewhere in The Prelude, I guess).
> 
> Because the images are so unconected - trailer, boat, tenant, Midas, window, 
> donkey - I'm really wondering who the "you" is who's addresed in the piece. 
> I've decided it's probably not me... (ie the reader, any reader!).
> 
> Bob
> 
> >From: Mike Horwood <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: New sub: A Trailer
> >Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 11:43:24 +0200
> >
> >Here´s a jolly little piece to cheer everyone up. The word `across´ in line 
> >5 was originally `upon´ but I changed it because I think `upon´ is regarded 
> >as outdated these days. Actually, I prefer it, and `across´ is not quite 
> >right because rowing in circles is not moving across. Any comments/help?
> >
> >
> >A Trailer
> >
> >This is what you´ve dragged behind you
> >down the whispering, transparent years.
> >It gave a preview of what was to come.
> >To that time and place a sense adheres
> >of rowing in a fog across a lake
> >in endless rings and slowly dawning fears
> >of orientation lost, till your belief
> >in reaching the sunny shore all but disappears.
> >It hurts to realise how you cringed
> >like a tenant whose rent is in arrears
> >when the landlord thunders at his door.
> >Anger and frustration run down your face in tears,
> >for like a different Midas, what you touched turned to glass,
> >a window to show the world your donkey´s ears.
>