Odd, here I am late, & I too found the poem powerful. But felt the same
as you did Roger about that 'may', which actually sounded off to me as
I read. But the empty arms throughout, Alison, is a very strong image,
indeed.
Doug
On 31-Mar-06, at 11:34 AM, Roger Collett wrote:
> Alison,
>
> I like this in general, but must take issue with the usage of _might_
> and _may_ in the first stanza.
>
> Inherent in _may_ is a sense of permission, did you really mean this?
> Or should it have been _might_ again?
>
> Awkward when a word gets repeated I know, but perhaps the sense gets
> distorted here.
>
> Roger (A.Pedant)
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alison Croggon"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 8:18 PM
> Subject: Poem
>
>
>> these arms might reach out
>> in love or in trouble
>> and you might answer them
>> or you may not
>>
>> face down in the clay
>> or among the detritus
>> of a ruined house
>> the naked arms outfling
>> towards nothing
>>
>> as the woman who
>> arches in delight
>> and flings her empty arms
>> towards the brighter angel
>> that scorches her
>>
>> life in its ripeness
>> or its barren edge,
>> everything or nothing:
>> it is the eyes watching
>> that complete the gesture
>>
>> how tell a bruise coldly
>> from the abashed lover
>> or the erased brute?
>> one is warm and throbbing still
>> and the other rots.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Alison Croggon
>>
>> Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
>> Editor, Masthead: http://masthead.net.au
>> Home page: http://alisoncroggon.com
>> --
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>
Douglas Barbour
11655 - 72 Avenue NW
Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9
(780) 436 3320
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