Hi James,
I like this lots. There's loads of little ambiguities that keep me coming 
back to read it in different ways, and like Bob it leaves me wondering about 
the relationship between the narrator and "you". I like the repetitions too, 
and the circular nature of the poem. I think that reflects how the mind 
works when grappling with the kind of conundrum that Bob mentions, but this 
manages to talk about 'big' issues without ever sounding dry or pretentious.
Regards,
Matt



>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: Constants
>Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 11:17:30 +0000
>
>Hi James,
>This is an enigmatic piece. It’s doing some very interesting things IMO.
>I really do feel the distance between the narrator and the “you” of the 
>poem.
>I guess I feel the distance because the “you” who can drive around (many) 
>cities – and also down one specific alley – never feels close to the 
>narrator. But, at the same time, the narrator knows they drink something 
>that’s a nettle infusion – and that’s very specific!
>I like the ending very much – and start thinking, does the narrator really 
>know they drink something made of nettles, or is that just a lie they’ve 
>been told. That increases the sense of distance for me!
>The line I’m puzzling over is “is the solution” – and I’m wondering: the 
>solution to what? (But, LOL, the word solution is fascinating because of an 
>ambiguity: it could infer the nettle drink as well as the solution to a 
>problem, or  question, or issue… H’m issue’s a slightly ambigious word as 
>well…)
>And, along with big questions about lies and truths, that huge 
>philosophical conundrum; Am I alive or not? (Or, as it’s sometimes stated: 
>Is this a dream or not?) is neatly displayed and embedded in the poem.
>Bob
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: James Bell <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: New sub: Constants
>>Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 13:10:36 +0000
>>
>>It seems quiet out there. Maybe this reflects how folks are at present.
>>
>>CONSTANTS
>>
>>you have nothing of interest to say -
>>you lie constantly
>>and here in your constancy
>>is the solution
>>
>>where each city is a crude grid
>>around which you drive in safety
>>then drive down an alley for verification
>>that in the final analysis you are alive
>>
>>drink nettles in an infusion to make you pee
>>to verify you are alive and can still drive
>>you have nothing of interest to say -
>>you lie constantly
>>
>>
>>bw
>>James