A quick note of agreement with Randolph's enthusiasm for RF Langley's
Jack. From "The Barber's Beard":
"Dustyfoot arrested in a blaze of
alibis, blinking like an idiot
and hinting he's a friend of Jupiter."
Music, rhythm, wit & old-fashioned fun make good companions, although I
find I'm not yet sure about some of the rhymes, for me they rather
distract & detract (some , not all) & I miss what I can only describe as
the unyielding mystery of "The Ecstasy Inventories", "The Upshot" &
"Juan Fernandez" from infernal methods' "Twelve Poems". Jack, too, may
need to name-change as well as shape-change before he becomes too
complacent ("I'm alright etc."). But good to read & re-read (ain't that
the ultimate test?).
Add to that book, a tribute anthology, "Sneak's Noise: Poems for R.F.
Langley", previously advertised by Peter Riley. 23 new poems by 22
poets (2 sonnets by Barry MacSweeney). From Mr. Prynne's six lines, the
phrase "trembling brilliancy" seems to sum up the selection. On the
theme of Jack, here is Michael Haslam from "Party Spirits" (all the
words capitalised here are in italics in the book):
A NAME
I was about to call it SPIRIT. SPIRIT
I was on the verge of shouting out,
when it proliferates, with SPURGE, SPURT,
SPIT, SPRITE. You have to guess the name
of only one of them. I fancy that's the game.
I thought they were clues, but I have to guess.
SPURGE half-rhymes with Hedge. There's a gist
on the tip of my tongue. Cut by a stroke of doubt,
I swallowed my suggestion, throated back.
Roger Langley called it JACK.
And we knew it was that.
I know nothing of Langley beyond his Twelve Poems, Jack & Peter Riley's
essay "A Poetry in Favour of the World" (Form Books Occasional Papers
#6, 1997). To have drawn forth work of this quality from this range of
poets suggests a personal contribution to the craft greater than anyone
might expect from a published output of - to my knowledge - 16 poems. A
list-member in a private note to me suggested that there is a story to
tell about Langley's contribution as teacher. I, for one, would love to
hear it.
Finally, from "Jack's Pigeon":
"There's no more to be done. No more be done.
And what there was, was what we didn't do.
It needed two of us to move as one,
to shake hands with a hand that's shaking, if
tint were to be tant, and breaking making."
The best to all,
Pete (back in from the minus 30 with nose, toes & fingers intact) Smith.
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