National Poetry Day.
Today is the Uk’s National poetry day, which has the aim of promoting poetry beyond those already hooked on it, by trying to make it a part of everyone's life, every day. All those who regularly visit The Parrish Lantern, or it’s anthology on Twitter (@pomesallsizes) will realise that this chimes in fantastically with my interest in poetry and in spreading the word about its wonder. Although the theme of this years National poetry is stars, I’m going to take that in a tangential way and place a poem from currently one of my favourite poets, because what he does makes him a star. Chris Emery, apart from being a wonderful poet, is the publishing director at Salt Publishing, an independent literary press based in Cromer, England - whose catalogue of works just need to be perused to see the quality (including one Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012).
He has published two previous collections of poetry, Dr Mephisto & Radio Nostalgia, as well as a writer’s guide and edited editions of Emily Bronte, Keats and Rossetti. His work has been widely published in magazines and anthologised, most recently in Identity Parade: New British and Irish Poets. He is a contributor to The Cambridge Companion to Creative Writing, edited by David Morley and Philip Neilsen. In 2006, he was awarded an American Book Award for his services to American literature.
More than enough reasons in my book to place one of his poems here as part of National Poetry Day.
On Leaving Wale Obelisk ( for Jen)
*******
Did we shuck our suits that leaf-dense noon,
leaving serious careers in lemon light?
The high clouds, early swallows, the day moon
weakened, nothing farmed, nothing tight
*******
above the summer marriage of grasses,
and all that luscious time receding in
the corporate years’ climbing excesses,
just a vacancy before children?
*******
We made our love pledge there. It leaves you
in chromatic episodes like this,
doesn’t it? Not quite nostalgia, but who
could have imagined ageing like this?
********
We Had climbed up to lie on the pile hay,
the tow-coloured earth all nice and neat
and with everything to come our way,
lovers of the smashed- up wheat.
Chris Emery from his new collection Departures
For more Pomes & stuff, check out the links here
Back to this years theme of stars, here is my effort, placed earlier today on Twitter & based on 140 characters.
From dark places
& dull comfort
from humdrum
side streets, they dance
sing scream
Notice me just enough
to light up a star.
********************Me
4 comments:
All I can say to that is Happy National Poetry Day ;)
Wonderful post, Parrish! Happy Poetry Day!!
I love the poems you highlight for us, Parrish, and the way that you broaden my horizon...my appreciation for this genre. The one you left here, "On Leaving Wale Obelisk", has lovely imagery both of the couple and the fields as I imagine the place to be. Probably wrong, still, it was a lovely poem.
I wish we had such a day in America. Today, the Republicans such as myself, are only celebrating the debates which were between presidential hopeful Romney (long may he "reign"!) and present Obama. I think we could use a little more poetry in our lives. Well, less taxes any way.
Hi Tony, thanking you muchly.
Thanks Suko & the same to you.
Ciao Bellezza, you do have a poetry month, the last one I posted about here
http://parrishlantern.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/national-poetry-month-usa.html?m=1
As to the poetry I hope to keep highlighting whart I think are wonderful poets & pomes.
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