He's one of these characters who pitches for whatever market he's
aiming at, Doug. So on the one hand he talks about peace but says
things to a Serb audience he invited that are coded - the equivalent
of going to Ulster and talking about 'Londonderry' to Protestants - he
knows its unlikely that the Brit middle-class part of his audience
will realise the significance of what he's saying (he called his talk
'An English poet in the Balkans but invited no Croats, Slovenes,
Bosnians etc only Serbs).
At the same time he has poems in good avant-garde magazines like
Shearsman yet also publishes stuff like the below:
Fifth Wreath
Music of reds and crimsons, battle on.
Continue calling out until the seven
thousand men and boys slaughtered like cattle on
this green hill, in crass insult to blue heaven,
breed children's children's children, to change all
to change revenge: until revenge is even
against revenge. Sing on, until revenge'll
take vengeance on itself, take eye for eye
no more: until each flower becomes an angel –
no longer seeding, breeding here to die
in dignified remembrance, apt memorial,
bleeding into these Balkan hills and sky –
and do not seal your silent lips until
red stands for more than their avenging will.
Richard Burns
2008/5/13 Douglas Barbour <[log in to unmask]>:
> Well, I agree, here, with this odd addendum to the titled discussion.
>
> One could wish, but just look at what all 3 running for Pres must (& as far
> as that goes want) to tell us about their faith. The necessity, even under
> what tatters remain of their Constitution.
>
> Yes, a fine achievement & one I want to hold on to....
>
> Doug
>
> Who, upon reading Dave's report on that reading is glad he wasn't there,
> especially for the obvious rhymes...
>
> On 13-May-08, at 2:58 AM, Roger Day wrote:
>
>
> > I admit my idea of society as secular is getting pretty beaten these
> > days. Yet, a secular society allows people to worship their own gods.
> > Or not. It is a fine achievement of Western Society, finer than the
> > christian version we're being asked to defend these days, IMO.
> >
> > I suppose a secular society is an anathema to those who want society
> > sealed under a single god. Indeed, Iraq had a secular society before
> > the American and their aliies walked in. Not a good one admittedly but
> > one worth building on without the need for the massive amounts of
> > bloodshed currently being waged by our version of the crusade.
> >
>
>
> Douglas Barbour
> [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/
>
> Latest books:
> Continuations (with Sheila E Murphy)
> http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=664
> Wednesdays'
>
> http://abovegroundpress.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-from-aboveground-press_10.html
>
> Lives devoted to Beauty seldom end well.
>
> Sir Kenneth Clark
>
--
David Bircumshaw
Website and A Chide's Alphabet http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/
The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html
Leicester Poetry Society: http://www.poetryleicester.co.uk
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