I remember you as a refrain
so I return to you (again.)
The flowers, I tell you, have
no buttons.
They name their virtues while
the wind strikes them without anger.
Comes the twilight sound, deeps
also and deeps.
In a dream, the teeth of the
wolf finally let go of the wolf.
Only dark eyes can agree with
dark hair—
I try to put myself,
therefore, inside an apple!
The half-night, always in
revolt, always hungering for hours.
I remember you as a refrain so
I return to you (again.)
The flowers, I tell you, have
dressed as paupers.
Only one sun in a month of
silver rain and wool rain.
Faith as the sole of a shoe,
the obscure melody of a false silence.
You
become visible in the place where I disappear—
Someday, you will become the one,
the unique circle.
I wrote this sonnet in
response to the song posted above. Discographic info: The Limps, “Someone I Can
Talk To” b/w “Unreal” A-side. [B-side features another band called “No
Support.”] Matchbox Classics – M.C.2. Carlisle, England (1979). Likely
personnel: Tom Davidson (vocals); Andy Semple (guitar); Norman Jardine (bass);
and Derek Watson (drums). Compositional credit: unknown, likely credited to the
band. Though recorded in England the band is Scottish.
Want
something a bit less elegiac? SeeThe Fox Who Loved a Corgi
Pages
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mother of god, but i cried at the end of that poem. where someone disappears = when they sleep, and then the dream about the person who is gone (and other things that dreams do to you.) amazing. thank you. the song is fabulous too! ~b
ReplyDeleteThat's a solid pop punk song of its era--great energy, and just enough sloppiness that it couldn't really be a hit. Cool poem too--some of it reminds me of George Trakl.
ReplyDeleteHi ~b (Babsy?) -- thank you for the kind words and for your interpretation of the
ReplyDeletepoem. These days, I tend to write for the band I'm in (Fanoplane) and imagine reading this while the musicians play. I will definitely give this a try the next time we're on stage. All best wishes, BA
Hey Mark, agree on the band --- it's catchy but still punk. Appreciate your kind words about the poem. Oi, mate! --BA
ReplyDeleteCasey here. Middling band, but great poem. What's with the exclamation point after "apple"? Not a negative criticism, just a puzzle for my tiny brain to ponder.
ReplyDeleteCasey! Pacers, bay-beeee! Well, I'd rather you have this reaction than the other way around hahahaha. It's why I don't put up any Joy Division ever. I just felt like the concept of one putting oneself inside an apple should be emphasized! But that's me. Oh, and Sheehan in. Officially. Sheez is our gaffer YJB, Jack Army Stone Island. Ba
ReplyDeleteGorgeous f**king sonnet. "dressed as paupers": my word. This is a lesson in writing in the shadow of the vale. From one punk to another, the circle is the square where the dogs take the dare.
ReplyDeletehll's bll's hthr your comment is its own poem! your emails are poems, your everyday thoughts are poems -- there is nobody like you! jiminy cricket you bet one punk to another. most of all thank you for the kind words. BA
ReplyDeleteThere is also something highly original in the pluralization of “deep” and the repetition of “I tell you.” But then you speak of refrain, heralding back to the Greek chorus. The arena is bereft of poetry / discourse at present and so I fixate on bright lights such as this.
DeleteI find that so few say the simple words of “thank you” in these extenuated times. Thank you for your poem and your scholarship.
DeleteBy all means, please read "ALONE IN THE CITY WITH YOU" at Fanoplane's next performance -- as matters currently stand, it will be on Friday, June 13 at RhizomeDC (https://tinyurl.com/447s8arf).
ReplyDeleteRoger that. Hoping to be there, if life doesn't pull me away, and looking forward to renewing the ruckus! BA
ReplyDeletewell, thank *you* for your kind words hthr. quite true that the "arena" has become the "arena of the unwell." there are areas, lights, heights however (to borrow a L. Eigner title) so let's keep striving for that excellence, but either way it's my great pleasure to know someone who is herself such a bright light.
ReplyDelete