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Yes, Andrew et al, I think its genuinely refreshing (touching) right down to the wellsprings to go back to those points of origin - that is the first person(s), book, whatever - that gave permission to get seriously behind and/or be drawn by the pen. My first real mentor, Milton Miller - back when I was 18 at college - passed away last weekend. It's brought up those experiences - the sheer excitement and sensual pleasure - getting words (other than those endless new critical essays!) down on the page. Olivetti Lettera 22 - the portable typewriter - onion skin erasable paper, et al. Sweet and so virgin! Stephen Vincent http://stephenvincent.net/blog/ Where it is about to Day 72 of The First 100 Days of President Obama! --- On Thu, 4/2/09, Douglas Barbour <[log in to unmask]> wrote: From: Douglas Barbour <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Blake poem To: [log in to unmask] Date: Thursday, April 2, 2009, 7:39 AM Yes, Andrew, this is getting to the point, pointing the ways, much better.... Doug Quoting "andrew burke" <[log in to unmask]>: > What do retired people who write poetry do but fiddle and fart around with > their own words. Here is the latest and perhaps last version of that lumpy > text I threw at you earlier this week. Thanks to Judy, Patrick, Doug, > Frederick and anyone else who addressed the mess for me. Off list, Andrew > Taylor also helped steer me right. > > The Poetical Works (title) > > Forty six years on > and still I warm my hands > over it. It opens me out like > a choir singing rounds > in eighteenth century London. > I take it down from the shelf to > remember her now, sophisticated lady > who in a Sydney harbourside mansion > placed Blake's poems in my hands, > me in my overalls and boots, and said, > 'We've been waiting for you.' She > patted Blake's flimsy skin > aged to a cream veinless patina. > 'We know you'll enjoy this , boy.' > > Alf, ragged aged removalist, > said, 'Let's go.' I went > down my own back roads > since then, through cities and fields, > to land awkwardly as a pelican on > this seat this morning > to remember my bottle-scarred muse, alive > with Blake's pulse in the skein of days. > > > > Thanks all. > > -- > Andrew > http://hispirits.blogspot.com/ > > Douglas Barbour 11655 - 72 Avenue NW Edmonton Alberta T6G 0B9 That’s not a cross look it’s a sign of life Frank O’Hara