 |
 |
Thank you, Sheila. I live in Cottles Bridge, get my mail in Hurstbridge (because there is no home delivery) and just fell to a bit of bridge pondering I guess. Bill On 09/01/2014, at 3:03 PM, Sheila Murphy wrote: > Bill, even your speaking about this is poetic. I appreciate the story, and > I appreciate (of course) the poem! > > Thanks, Sheila > > > On Wed, Jan 8, 2014 at 9:00 PM, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > >> Thanks, Doug. I am thinking of so extending. >> >> Bill >> >> On 09/01/2014, at 3:30 AM, Douglas Barbour wrote: >> >>> Saw all Bill. >>> >>> I think 'not offering crossability' is what it's all about, & >> intriguing, indeed. >>> >>> I imagine you can extend this sequence should you wish to... >>> >>> Doug >>> On Jan 8, 2014, at 6:03 AM, Patrick McManus < >> [log in to unmask]> wrote: >>> >>>> Bill old lad I saw Kasper's email only when you replied to it - P >> fretting >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] >> On >>>> Behalf Of Bill Wootton >>>> Sent: 08 January 2014 12:29 >>>> To: [log in to unmask] >>>> Subject: Re: Bridges >>>> >>>> Pat, can you not see Kasper's email below? You responded to Kasper's >> comment >>>> it looks like to me. I may be stuck but your frets are wobbling it >> seems. >>>> >>>> Funny you mention 'orchardist'. I remember as teacher this came up when >>>> students came to read the word, probably in Chekhov's 'The Cherry >> Orchard'. >>>> 16/17 year olds couldn't pronounce it. Had never seen the word in print. >>>> They would say it like 'orchid' with no sense that that were >>>> mis-pronouncing. I suppose all fruit they ever had came from a >> supermarket. >>>> My great uncle Jim lived on an apple orchard, in a stilted wooden >> two-room >>>> shack with a Coolgardie safe to keep his milk cool, at Harcourt near >>>> Bendigo, a hundred miles or so north west of Melbourne. >>>> >>>> Bill >>>> >>>>> On 8 Jan 2014, at 8:06 pm, Patrick McManus < >> [log in to unmask]> >>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Kasper's email never arrived here!! >>>>> Bill hope you are not stuck - orchardist sounds a nice job Cheers P >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] >>>>> On Behalf Of Bill Wootton >>>>> Sent: 08 January 2014 07:21 >>>>> To: [log in to unmask] >>>>> Subject: Re: Bridges >>>>> >>>>> Many thanks, Kasper. Final couplet (and indeed final section) is still >>>>> a work in progress, appended yesterday when I realised the two >>>>> particular bridges I was celebrating were not ones to put spring in >>>>> step, they not offering crossability. >>>>> >>>>> Bill >>>>> >>>>>> On 8 Jan 2014, at 11:36 am, Kasper Salonen <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> This is magnificent, the majesty of bridges at their best resonates >>>>>> strongly in these four sections. The hint of myth in the Benezet >>>>>> story rounds out the mysticism. Not only that, but the lyrical and >>>>>> yet perfectly disinterested style makes up for the splash of water >>>>>> that is the final line. I love it. >>>>>> >>>>>> KS >>>>>> >>>>>> --- >>>>>> Kasper Salonen, toiminnanjohtaja >>>>>> Helsinki Poetry Connection >>>>>> http://hkipoetryconnection.blogspot.com/ >>>>>> +358505554947 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> On 7 January 2014 23:05, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Bridges >>>>>>> >>>>>>> i >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Walk a bridge to connect, to pass >>>>>>> over a gulf. To be on a bridge is to be >>>>>>> >>>>>>> neither in one place or another. Rarely destination, bridges embody >>>>>>> journey. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ii >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Avignon's stone bridge stops mid-Rhone tantalising with just four >>>>>>> extant arches >>>>>>> >>>>>>> of its once majestic twenty two. >>>>>>> Even computer imaging and years >>>>>>> >>>>>>> of research can't line up remnant piles. >>>>>>> Must have been zig-zags >>>>>>> >>>>>>> for added strength, perhaps, in floods. >>>>>>> Benezet the shepherd it's said, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 850 years ago, with Divine push, hefted and hurled a huge rock in >>>>>>> the river >>>>>>> >>>>>>> which became stone one of Pont >>>>>>> d'Avignon. Benezet's journey ended >>>>>>> >>>>>>> with his interment within the bridge before its completion. >>>>>>> Disinterment >>>>>>> >>>>>>> nearly 500 years later, >>>>>>> scored him patron sainthood. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> iii >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Just north of Melbourne, two parallel bridges span Arthurs Creek. >>>>>>> Only one takes traffic. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Burke's duplicated concrete and bitumen bridge towards Nutfield, >>>>>>> flat and functional >>>>>>> >>>>>>> but adjacent, original Burke's Bridge, a timbertrestle construction, >>>>>>> now spattered >>>>>>> >>>>>>> with leaves and gum bark peelings, blocked at either end with >>>>>>> boulders, remains >>>>>>> >>>>>>> the real enchanter. Patrick Burke, orchardist and nurseryman settled >>>>>>> on 20 acres in 1864. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> None of which explains why supporting posts either side of the creek >>>>>>> are not parallel. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> iv >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Alighting from a bridge makes you feel lighter. >>>>>>> Puts a little spring in your step or your tyres. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> You've left somewhere behind. Crossed. >>>>>>> You're somewhere else. What now? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> But it takes now uncrossable bridges to remind us how well stuck we >>>>>>> might be. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> bw >>>>>>> 8.1.14 >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> Douglas Barbour >>> [log in to unmask] >>> >>> http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/ >>> http://eclecticruckus.wordpress.com/ >>> >>> Latest books: >>> Continuations & Continuations 2 (with Sheila E Murphy) >>> http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=962 >>> Recording Dates >>> (Rubicon Press) >>> >>> Swept snow, Li Po, >>> by dawn’s 40-watt moon >>> to the road that hies to office >>> away from home. >>> >>> Lorine Niedecker >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >