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Thank you, Janet, for persevering even though at first you were put off, and thank you for that big compliment, 'personal and global' - If I could achieve that more often I'd be a happy poet. Andrew On 03/12/06, Janet Jackson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > My initial reaction to Andrew's poem was "oh, another one of these", > but then it caught my interest and I do like the way it ends. > Personal and global. > > Janet > > > I wrote this poem over the last two days, and showed it to an American > > young man today - he liked it but asked what Fantales were! It never > > struck me that they were not USA of origin because they were > > (originally) all about Hollywood stars. (They have since broadened.) > > Fantales are a chocolate coated lolly with caramel inside. The wrapper > > details the life and career of at least one major film star - very > > compressed into maybe thirty or forty words. Here goes nothing: > > > > > > > > (title) My True Account > > > > I've seen these hands on old men before— > > swollen rivers, deep valleys and bony ranges, > > dark brooding between knuckles. I know > > > > the back of my hand like my own country. > > In the Fifties, I read Milton and Rosenberg > > on a wooden desk, with a chipped inkwell. > > > > That desktop spelt a history of boys > > before me, their hieroglyphs and spilt ink > > characterising my space, my view. > > > > Upstairs in the dorm, my bed-high locker > > held what was me—all else cluttered in > > grey flannel pockets: rosary beads, coins, > > > > and Fantale wrappers, to be smoothed > > and added to my collection— > > Alan Ladd, June Allyson, James Stewart. > > > > Milton and Rosenberg drew me in to > > their intense reality. I built a chapel in my head > > and read their words like litany: the sudden > > > > uprising of larks on return, then > > dawn. I was twelve, I saw him die. > > 'They also serve who only stand and waite.' > > > > Serve? I am of the individual generation, > > sitting on our merry-go-round horses, riding to > > our faux rebellion, nervous to dismount. > > > > > > Poem ends. Any feedback welcome. > ------------------------------------------------------- > Janet Jackson <[log in to unmask]> > Poems at Proximity: > http://www.proximity.webhop.net > > You cannot love alone > ------------------------------------------------------- > -- Andrew http://hispirits.blogspot.com/ http://www.bam.com.au/andrew