Pottery

[binidj]

In response to a request from smokingboot (I'm not sure who this person actually is in RL mind you) there now follows a poem wot I rote. This was inspired by a production of EM Forsters A Room With A View that I was involved with and the countryside that I have lived in all my life and which forms a large part of the setting for the book. I don't really have a style of poetry per se, but this is one of my favourites.

Anyone who actually has a fondness for poetry will probably loathe it.

Mr Beebe's Ode
(with apologies to EM Forster)

The terrors of the night have pow'r
To fright the very young
And tho' we now are grown in years
The fear seems just as strong

Still when we lie alone in bed
And dread of death draws near
The oak and pinewoods round about
Bring promise of good cheer

Then call the oak and call the pine
And call the oak again
And so walk unafraid amidst
The corridor of rain

Beneath the em'rald canopy
Of Albion's velvet crown
What paths unguessed or pools unknown
May hide below the down?

And what sure-footed forest beast
Within those eaves may dwell
Whose stealthy motions pass unseen
Through glen and shaded dell?

Then call the elm and call the birch
And call the elm again
And walk within the shadows of
The corridor of rain

And when with fearless steps you've trod
The halls of mighty oak
And when with stealthy gaze you've seen
The shyest forest folk

And when with golden woodland boys
You've bathed in forest pools
And turned your back against the life
Of other urban fools

Then call the beech and call the yew
And call the beech again
And live a life of wonder in
The corridor of rain

Comments

[delvy.livejournal.com]

Well I happen to like it. And you do know smokingboots I'm sure.

[thru-her-lens.livejournal.com]

Yup, 'e does
Serafiya/Debs :)

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

Do you really believe that what you've written is poor verse?

I cannot agree with you.

Debbie

[binidj.livejournal.com]

Ok, "very poor" was over-modest but I do think the verse structure is too simplistic. I like the use of language in some places but overall it's not up to the standard of my heroes, Ted Hughes and Rudyard Kipling.

Just opinions

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

It did remind me of Kipling when I read it (Can't comment on Hughes, don't know his stuff well enough)

The WCW argument that a shopping list has its own poetic rhythm only convinces me as a theory because it is a cute argument. I think strong poetic structure is important, complexity less so. Sometimes evident artifice works and sometimes it becomes a bit self conscious, terribly undergrad. Think you went nowhere near that. Good move.

I liked it. If you ever want to share more, I'll read with interest.

Re: Just opinions

[binidj.livejournal.com]

"It did remind me of Kipling when I read it"

I can think of no greater compliment than that, thank you.

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

I think it's great.