Thanks, Marthe. I know I'm not the first to use the Song Cycle for inspiration. Les Murray was there long before my effort.
Bill
On 23/08/2012, at 12:05 AM, Marthe Reed <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Lovely!
>
> On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 4:43 PM, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>> Song Cycle of The Magpies
>>
>> - after The Wonguri-Mandjagai people from north-eastern Arnhem Land
>>
>> They are milling about at the G, on benches, in bars, along the back of
>> the Great Southern
>> stand.
>> Milling about in wavering lines, there in the shade of the Great
>> Overhanging Roof.
>> Standing and waiting for the bounce of the ball, in black and white
>> verticals, like
>> loosened upright piano keys:
>> In the shade of the overarching roof, they are standing, untuned.
>> People of the Carringbush, gathered there like rippling accordion
>> keyboards, like
>> vast splayed snakes.
>> In here, behind the Goals, in this Place, in the shadow of the Great
>> Overhanging Roof.
>> Now sitting in rows, those Carringbush people, Piano people, waiting for
>> the performance to begin.
>> Living on hot chips, sitting there with grease-grappled fingers,
>> Sitting in there waiting, those People of the Magpie Clan...
>> Sitting there like unplayed pianos, at that Place of the Leatherball...
>> and of the pig's
>> bladder entrails.
>> Sitting, waiting there in the Place of the Leatherball...
>> In that Place of the Centre Square, and at the Place of the Leatherball,
>> There at that Leather Stadium, they await... The Siren.
>>
>> Bill Wootton
>> 22 August 12
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Marthe Reed
> Director of Creative Writing
> Assistant Professor
> English Department
> UL Lafayette
> 337-482-5503
> [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~mxr5675/home.html
>
> http://www.blackradishbooks.org/Reed.html
> _____________________________________
> *
> Poetry is made in a bed like love*
> *Its rumpled sheets are the dawn of things*
> *Poetry is made in the woods*
>
> --Andre Breton, "On the road to San Romano"
>
>
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