Contemporary Poetry

Poststructural Pub
1

For those of you who think that contemporary poetry has become too oblique or opaque or inaccessible or whatever…I thought you might enjoy this poem which actually appears in the highly-regarded poetry journal, BARROW STREET, Summer 2004 issue. I can’t guarantee that I got the punctuation exactly right. Also, some of the lines are indented and I can’t seem to make that happen here. But, other than that, this is a fairly close rendition of the poem. Enjoy! Discuss!

Dale



Reciprocity Effects by Geoff Bouvier

I am determined by and will change from a list___
…
…------…
…—faced evasions…
----…
…----a fervor:
“…—backed…
…of…
.-----…
…of…”

2

In fairness, the issue also included five or six other prose poems by Mr. Bouvier, which were pretty darn decent.

3

:astonished:

I think I prefer contemporary poetry like this:

‘Selecting a Reader’

First, I would have her be beautiful,

and walking carefully up on my poetry

at the loneliest moment of an afternoon,

her hair still damp at the neck

from washing it. She should be wearing

a raincoat, an old one, dirty

from not having money enough for the cleaners.

She will take out her glasses, and there

in the bookstore, she will thumb

over my poems, then put the book back

up on its shelf. She will say to herself,

“For that kind of money, I can get

my raincoat cleaned.” And she will.

— Ted Kooser


Eric

4

Love it. (the 2nd one.)

I believe the first one represents the cognitive efforts of a cyborg who just blew a fuse.

5

Do I write contemporary poetry?

6

So far, yes. :laughing:

7

Some
times
…

8

and so
longing, reaching, whining
yonder where the cows grow
whirr whirr whirr
lerd

9

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

10

The mind numbing thing of it all is that the better literary rags typically publish fewer than 1% of the submissions they receive. :really:

Will O’Ban

11

Here’s one for ya…

I live my life in growing orbits
which move out over the things of the world.

Perhaps I can never achieve the last,
but that will be my attempt.

I am cirlcing around God,
around the ancient tower,
and I have been circling for
a thousand years.

And I’m still not sure if
I am a raven, or a storm or
a great song.

Ranier Maria Rilke

Enjoy
Ronaldo

12

Oh, good one, Ronaldo! It’s much nicer in German. I’ve never felt that Rilke translated well into English.

Ich lebe mein Leben in wachsenden Ringen

Ich lebe mein Leben in wachsenden Ringen,
die sich über die Dinge ziehn.
Ich werde den letzten vielleicht nicht vollbringen,
aber versuchen will ich ihn.

Ich kreise um Gott, um den uralten Turm,
und ich kreise jahrtausendelang;
und ich weiß noch nicht: bin ich ein Falke, ein Sturm
oder ein großer Gesang.

Rainer Maria Rilke (written in 1899)

Just a few words, I guess, on the translation: It is the last orbit (or ring) that he may not complete and in German the word for complete, achieve and fulfill are (can be) the same, so that there is a level of meaning lost in the English “achieve” (how do you achieve an orbit, anyway?).

“I have been circling for a thousand years” puts in the past what isn’t in the past in German: it says “I am circling for millenia” and it is ambivalent as to whether that was in the past or will continue into the future.

Finally, the “raven” is actually a falcon, and “song” is insufficient to express Gesang, which is bigger: like a mountain range compared to a mountain.

13

Thanks, I like reading the German when I already know what it says.
And I like the reader with her dirty coat. Here’s my current favorite, by Elizabeth Bishop, who died in the 70s.

Sonnet

I am in need of music that would flow
Over my fretful, feeling fingertips
Over my trembling, bitter-tainted lips
With melody, clear, sweet, and liquid-slow.

Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low,
Of some song sung to rest the tired dead,
A song to flow like water on my head
And over quivering limbs, dream-flushed to glow.

There is a magic made by melody;
A spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool
Heart, that sinks through fading colors deep
To the subaqueous stillness of the sea,
And floats forever in a moon-green pool,
Held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep.


Jennie

14

Rhyme! Meter! in the last two poems,
the Rilke in German!

15

I think there is too much bigotry against rhyme and meter.

16

rime, meater
what could be Sweder?
take it from me boiz
(an grrrls)
greeding cards
is the whey of the
few churr

17

I will wake in the night screaming!

18

Mmm… churros… never had them with whey, but there used to be a place in Manila that served them with hot cocoa.

19

Hamlet in April

I would not praise your legs as fine
Had I not something more in mind,
For it is Spring…
The virtue sought
Has melted off with winter’s melt
And nothing is as it would seem.
To sleep, perchance to rub,
Ah, there’s the dream!

20

Very nice everyone.

This is a fairly straightforword, thing my Mom wrote in jest of the Foxhunting debate in England


THE NOBLEMAN’S LAMENT
by Beverly Buyce


“I’m bloody well peeved”,

said the Lord of the Shire.

“They’ve banned my fox hunting

And that raises my ire!”



“I’ve all these fine coats,

bright red and impressive.

How can I wear them

If not being aggressive

In pursuit of a fox?”



“My horses will pine

for the thrill of the chase.

They will take to their stalls,

Hang their heads in disgrace.”



“And to add to my woes,

I’ve not mentioned the hounds.

How shall I placate them

With the fox out of bounds?”



“And what of the foxes?

How will they fare

When there’s no one to chase them

Home to their lair?”



“They’ll wander bewildered

Through the woods and the fields

Longing for the days

When they took to their heels

At the sound of the horn.”



“What do they know,

Those unwashed masses

About the needs

Of the superior classes?”



“Yes, I’m bloody well peeved,

I’d let everyone know it.

But I’m just too well bred

To have a fit and throw it.”