Just a quick comment on Murray's poem, Caleb. Two bits especially struck
me: 'zinc-grey' and 'shining money'. I'd been trying to describe [to
myself] the look of this afternoon's ominous pre-snow/rain sky and its
reflection in the river---and that's it: zinc-grey. I also love the simple
yet effective 'shining' for money.
Keep posting, Caleb, I always enjoy what you have to say. Hope to see some
of your poems, as well.
Judy
2009/2/22 Caleb Cluff <[log in to unmask]>
> You don't think that's subtle poem, Andrew? For me (I stress) there's a
> tension there, poised between regret and maybe malice?
>
> I'll posit an obvious example, one of Les Murray's early (and well-known)
> poems.
>
> In my secret garden
> I kept three starlings.
> In my secret locket
> Three copper farthings.
>
> One zinc-grey evening
> The birds escaped me
> And a crippled man stole
> My shining money.
>
> The starlings wandered
> Till three hawks took them,
> And now my agents
> Have caught the cripple.
>
> There's a menace and an 'otherness' that intrigues me in works like these.
> It may well be that nothing is hidden with the poem, but the suggestion is
> enough. The word 'agents' is so well placed. The poem is wry, delicate and
> chilling.
>
> And now I'll stop banging on like Clive James.
>
> Caleb
>
> On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 11:08 AM, andrew burke <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Caleb states ' Brevity and directness' are his current interests.
> 'Brevity'
> > is always a good thing in poetry, yes, I agree there - but directness
> needs
> > to be for a reason, most rewardingly a subtle reason.
> >
> > just my thoughts ...
> >
> > andrew
> >
> > 2009/2/23 Caleb Cluff <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > > And isn't that the beauty of poetry? Something that might transport me
> is
> > > an
> > > ill-sorted mess to someone else.
> > >
> > > I'm sticking with it. Brevity and directness are two interests of mine
> in
> > > poetry right now.
> > >
> > > Caleb
> > >
> > > On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 10:33 AM, Martin Walker <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > > I'm sorry to say that it does almost nothing for me. I dislike that
> > > fistful
> > > > of consonants in "love with Sarah's", the repetition of "its" in two
> > > lines.
> > > > It has been shown, I believe, that chimpanzees can use their tongues
> > and
> > > > mouths to vocalise; they are not tongue-tied but lack certain genes
> and
> > > see
> > > > no point in learning to talk, I guess, and apes are not ugly to each
> > > other.
> > > > Scholars do not fall in love with the object of their attention,
> though
> > > they
> > > > may be obsessed with it. The useless repetition in this pair of
> > quatrains
> > > > suggests that the latter is the case rather than love here.
> > > > cheers
> > > > Martin
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Gimme eastern trimmin' where women are women
> > > > In high silk hose and peekaboo clothes
> > > > And French perfume that rocks the room
> > > > And I'm all yours in buttons and bows.
> > > > Livingston/Evans 1947
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Caleb Cluff" <[log in to unmask]
> >
> > > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 11:27 PM
> > > > Subject: DM Thomas interview
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In Saturday's *Age
> > > >> *newspaper<
> > > >>
> > >
> >
> http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/books/hotel-of-broken-dreams/2009/02/20/1234633035833.html
> > > >> >,
> > > >> but moreso striking for this elegant piece, that does everything I
> > > >> expect
> > > >> and desire in a poem, in eight lines.
> > > >>
> > > >> I fell in love with Sarah's nape
> > > >> Between her short black hair and collar
> > > >> Ugly and tongue-tied as an ape
> > > >> I fell in love with Sarah's nape
> > > >>
> > > >> Its coolness, whiteness, slender shape
> > > >> She never knew I was its scholar
> > > >> I fell in love with Sarah's nape
> > > >> Between her short black hair and collar.
> > > >>
> > > >> He is online here <http://www.dmthomasonline.com/>
> > > >>
> > > >> Caleb
> > > >>
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Andrew
> > http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
> >
>
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