I often when I go somewhere new try to picture it through the eyes of some who may have come before me,

"And the eyes staring at strange places and times"

from After Looking at a Book.... hit me like a punch in the gut.

Number 4:



Afterwards by Thomas Hardy



When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay,
And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk, will the neighbours say,
'He was a man who used to notice such things'?

If it be in the dusk when, like an eyelid's soundless blink,
The dewfall-hawk comes crossing the shades to alight
Upon the wind-warped upland thorn, a gazer may think,
'To him this must have been a familiar sight.'

If I pass during some nocturnal blackness, mothy and warm,
When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn,
One may say, 'He strove that such innocent creatures should come to no harm,
But he could do little for them; and now he is gone.'

If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last, they stand at the door,
Watching the full-starred heavens that winter sees
Will this thought rise on those who will meet my face no more,
'He was one who had an eye for such mysteries'?

And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell's boom,
'He hears it not now, but used to notice such things'?

No. 233 in the Top 500, by the way . The man recalled in the poem is how I picture Hardy himself would like to be recalled. With all the concern that we might have for our "legacy," this puts into perspective what is really worth striving for in life.

I think I told you that my son was researching our family tree. He has got back to 17th century with my husbands branch and up to 1790 with mine.

But what is nice is when you can see an obviously nice person. Their reputation stays. So my own Grandmother, was something of a black sheep (which I knew) but her sister - Zilah!! - was such a kind and generous person that stories of her live on.

I'm aiming to be like Zilah! - pronouced Zilla - Aunt Zilla.

I'm afraid that we learned that Thomas Hardy was a bit of an old grump in his old age. But this poem shows his inner self, not so.

DWill wrote:I think by 'editorial decisions,' giselle might have meant why the editors selected these poems and not others. Did they just go with a "these are our own favorites" approach, or do they have something to say about criteria for selection? The title "Rattle Bag" is evocative of something, I'm just not sure of what.

Yes, I am interested in the editorial decisions because Hughes and Heaney are reknowned poets in their own right and so I'm thinking about their 'criteria' and whether or not there is a particular theme or themes. I note that this book is a companion to "The School Bag", a selection of poems for students. Also, I had wondered where I had heard the expression 'rattle bag' before and then I found this:

How to Use a Rattle Bag

There are quite a few ways to lure deer when you're out hunting. One of the simplest and least expensive methods is rattling. You can use basic rattling techniques to catch a buck's interest and cause him to wander over your way. One of the favorite hunter's tools to do this is a rattle bag.

Instructions

Hold the rattle bag in one hand and sharply hit the bag with the palm of your other hand in order to make a reasonably loud sound that imitates the sound of two bucks' antlers hitting against each other.

Use both hands to methodically rub or grind the "antlers" against each other in the bag. This should be a much quieter sound than the initial crack in step one. Continue for about five to six seconds.

Rest for several seconds and resume the grinding.

Continue this grinding and resting pattern for 30 to 45 seconds.

Rub the "antlers" against each other one last time as you separate them in the bag.

Refrain from using the rattle bag again for at least 30 minutes before repeating the process.


So, is this book a 'rattle bag' of poems ... poems that grind together in a certain way and produce a certain result? do they attract 'deer'? and what happens to the deer? or is this just a catchy book title with no particular intent?

My copy has a little design in the centre of the front cover comprised of odd items - a fish, a fly, a trumpet, a penknife, toy soldier, boot, bicycle, bell, scissors, bucket, rose, horse. With a red circle around them like speech bubble, but with the decreasing circles of a 'think' bubble.....So to me it suggests, a miscellany of poems on various subjects, to make you think.

The next one doesn't do much for me.....and like you giselle, I would like to know why it was chosen...


Ah Sunflower - William Blake

Ah Sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller's journey is done;

Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves, and aspire
Where my Sunflower wishes to go!

giselle wrote:

DWill wrote:I think by 'editorial decisions,' giselle might have meant why the editors selected these poems and not others. Did they just go with a "these are our own favorites" approach, or do they have something to say about criteria for selection? The title "Rattle Bag" is evocative of something, I'm just not sure of what.

Yes, I am interested in the editorial decisions because Hughes and Heaney are reknowned poets in their own right and so I'm thinking about their 'criteria' and whether or not there is a particular theme or themes. I note that this book is a companion to "The School Bag", a selection of poems for students. Also, I had wondered where I had heard the expression 'rattle bag' before and then I found this:

How to Use a Rattle Bag

Thanks for that bit on Rattle Bags. There is also a poem in this collection title "Rattle Bag." As for editorial decisions, if you look back a few posts Penny & I have both posted how the two decided on which poems to inclued.

Although I love sunflowers, I can't say that this one does much for me...

I'm likin' the poems so far. Nice little lyric by Blake. Now I'm getting fond of the idea of a bunch of poems rattling around in a bag, too!

Thanks for all the comments and background on this collection of poems and editorial matters. I received my book today and I quote a couple lines from the intro:

"This anthology amassed itself like a cairn. Most of the poems lay about for the taking in places well known to people, younger or older, who read verse; only a few came form the by-ways .... We hope that our decision to impose arbitrary alphabetical order allows the contents to discover themselves as we gradually discovered them - each poem full of its singular appeal, transmitting its own signals, taking its chances in a big voluble world"

I particularly like the last part of this, that the poems are taking their chances.

Just a side note, but I see that the last poem (the last word) goes to Sylvia Plath, accident of alphabet, I guess (or maybe not). The Rattle Bag was published in 1982, the same year as 'The Journals of Sylvia Plath", with Ted Hughes as consulting editor (Wiki). She died nearly 20 years before but she was obviously still a part of his life.

Regarding the first 5 poems, 'death' seems to be present one way or another. In Sunflower, I wonder about the use of capitals, Sunflower, Sun, Youth, Virgin?