Poetry?

Saffron · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject:

Ok, one more for me. I just found this poem in City Lights Pocket Poets Anthology ed. Lawrence Ferlinghetti. A book my daughter had secretly whisked off to school and has only just come back to me.

Kenneth Patchen
The Sea is Awash With Roses

The sea is awash with roses O they blow
Upon the land

The still hills fill with their scent
O the hills flow on their sweetness
As on God's hand

O love, it is so little we know of pleasure
Pleasure that lasts as the snow

But the sea is awash with roses O they blow
Upon the land

Saffron · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject:

I see this thread is still getting lots of views. Anybody want more poetry or more discussion about poetry?

BabyBlues · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:14 am Post subject: Deflowering Anyone?

This is the poem that first made me love cummings.

she being Brand

she being Brand

-new;and you
know consequently a
little stiff i was
careful of her and(having

thoroughly oiled the universal
joint tested my gas felt of
her radiator made sure her springs were O.

K.)i went right to it flooded-the-carburetor cranked her

up,slipped the
clutch(and then somehow got into reverse she
kicked what
the hell)next
minute i was back in neutral tried and

again slo-wly;bare,ly nudg. ing(my

lev-er Right-
oh and her gears being in
A 1 shape passed
from low through
second-in-to-high like
greasedlightning)just as we turned the corner of Divinity

avenue i touched the accelerator and give

her the juice,good

(it

was the first ride and believe i we was
happy to see how nice she acted right up to
the last minute coming back down by the Public
Gardens i slammed on

the
internalexpanding
&
externalcontracting
brakes Bothatonce and

brought allofher tremB
-ling
to a:dead.

stand-
;Still)

Saffron, I love that you posted the Sharon Olds poem! A college professor who I'd really admired was a huge Olds fan and introduced us to her. The imagery and cleverness of Topography always stuck with me. Happy

Saffron · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:37 am Post subject:

Babyblues wrote:

DWill · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:18 am Post subject:

Thanks to Saffron for her faithfulness to this forum. I get a little worn down sometimes and unfortunately lose the poetic spirit. Recently, a good friend gave me a beautiful blank book in which I will copy many memorable passages, especially from poems. (I believe this was called a commonplace book in the old days.)

Babyblues reminded me of the e.e. cummings poem that first got me interested in him. It was in high school, when I was probably dozing through English class. It shook me from my lethargy with a wallop.

pity this busy monster, manunkind

pity this busy monster, manunkind,

not. Progress is a comfortable disease:
your victim (death and life safely beyond)

plays with the bigness of his littleness
--- electrons deify one razorblade
into a mountainrange; lenses extend
unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish
returns on its unself.
A world of made
is not a world of born --- pity poor flesh

and trees, poor stars and stones, but never this
fine specimen of hypermagical

ultraomnipotence. We doctors know

a hopeless case if --- listen: there's a hell
of a good universe next door; let's go

-- E. E. Cummings

This poem was one of the first that I recall getting excited about. When the teacher wondered what "electrons deify one razorblade into a mountainrange" could mean, I flashed on the old Gillette commercial where a Brand X razorblade, magnified thousands of times, is shown after one use looking just like a jagged mountainrange. The poem is also a great anthem for the dawning age of protest.

DWill

Saffron · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:35 am Post subject: Commonplace book

After reading DWill's post, I got curious, as is my usual habit and went looking for information on Commonplace books. Here is what I found.

Saffron · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:39 am Post subject: May Swenson

One more post for me today. I've just added a new poet to my list of favorites. May Swenson. Try this.

Question
by May Swenson

Body my house
my horse my hound
what will I do
when you are fallen

Where will I sleep
How will I ride
What will I hunt

Where can I go
without my mount
all eager and quick
How will I know
in thicket ahead
is danger or treasure
when Body my good
bright dog is dead

How will it be
to lie in the sky
without roof or door
and wind for an eye

With cloud for shift
how will I hide?

DWill · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:26 pm Post subject:

Saffron, you're always great for filling in sketchy information. Commonplace books sound a little web-y, don't they--kind of the advanced means of information synthesizing and storage of the day. Not sure I have that grand a scheme for mine!
DWill

Saffron · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject:

If you liked the last May Swenson poem check out the rest of Blue.

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15672

Blue
by May Swenson

Blue, but you are Rose, too,

and buttermilk, but with blood

dots showing through.

A little salty your white

nape boy-wide.

BabyBlues · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:06 pm Post subject: Poetry abounds...

I think we semed to really run with this forum.

Perhaps we should start a few poetry threads... different themes? different poets? I am not sure what way is the best, but a lot of members seem very interested in poetry.

Saffron, yes I am from New Jersey. I am near the shore... you?

Saffron · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:42 pm Post subject: NJ

Babyblue,
I grew up in Mercer County, near Hightstown, Hamilton, and Allentown. I live in Virginia now. I think it would be great to have a whole forum for poetry and then different threads for themes or poets.

Chris, you out there? How about it?

Saffron

Saffron · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:13 pm Post subject: Summer Poetry

It is 92 degrees in Virginia! This is my solution to the heat (Ah me, I should be heading for the cool waters of the Shenandoah River, but not today. Tomorrow, maybe).

IN SUMMER'S HEAT

by: Ovid (43 BC-17 AD?)

In summer's heat, and mid-time of the day,
To rest my limbs, upon a bed I lay;
One window shut, the other open stood,
Which gave such light as twinkles in a wood,
Like twilight glimpse at setting of the sun,
Or night being past, and yet not day begun;
Such light to shamefaced maidens must be shown
Where they may sport, and seem to be unknown:
Then came Corinna in her long loose gown,
Her white neck hid with tresses hanging down,
Resembling fair Semiramis going to bed,
Or Lais of a thousand wooers sped.
I snatched her gown being thin, the harm was small,
Yet strived she to be covered therewithal,
And striving thus as one that would be cast,
Betrayed herself, and yielded at the last.
Stark naked as she stood before mine eye,
Not one wen in her body could I spy.
What arms and shoulders did I touch and see,
How apt her breasts were to be pressed by me,
How smooth a belly under her waist saw I,
How large a leg, and what a lusty thigh.
To leave the rest, all liked me passing well;
I clinged her naked body, down she fell:
Judge you the rest, being tired she bade me kiss;
Jove send me more such afternoons as this!

I love the description of the woman's leg and thigh -- How large a leg, and what a lusty thigh.

Melting in VA,
Saffron

Saffron

For anyone you would like to read more summer poetry.

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20043

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? (Sonnet 1 Cool

by William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Saffron · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

DWill,
What was the poem you were reciting the other day -- the one that comes out when you are stressed? I recognized it, but can't quite place it. I've been looking for it now for a day and give up.

Saffron

BabyBlues · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:51 am Post subject: another one to ponder

a different kind of summer poem...

Indian Summer by Dorothy Parker
In youth, it was a way I had
To do my best to please,
And change, with every passing lad,
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know,
And do the things I do;
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you!


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