At the Café, January 2010

[PrinceMyshkin]

Oh, wintry day.
Oh, distant rumours
of love and fortitude.

Alex, behind the counter,
lean and handsome,
with his light baritone,
his unfailing civility
rippling over a stream of good will.

There are occasions to love
everything and everyone.

[Pendragon]

Oh, wintry day.
Oh, distant rumours
of love and fortitude.

Alex, behind the counter,
lean and handsome,
with his light baritone,
his unfailing civility
rippling over a stream of good will.

There are occasions to love
everything and everyone.


Nice Prince. You never cease to amaze me with the tight wording of your gems of poetry

[Bar22do]

Oh, wintry day.
Oh, distant rumours
of love and fortitude.

Alex, behind the counter,
lean and handsome,
with his light baritone,
his unfailing civility
rippling over a stream of good will.

There are occasions to love
everything and everyone.



Graceful, simple and wonderfully crafted, Prince: it is a kiss poem, or a beam melting the snow!

[firefangled]

I like the structure of this, how the poem justifies its proclamation.

[Babbalanja]

"Distant rumours of love and fortitude"?

Regards,

Istvan

[AuntShecky]

I'm posting the following comments because of the great respect I have for your work. Additionally, I believe that you have enough depth in your character to realize that a perfunctory comment, such as "Awesome job, Dude!" ain't gonna cut it.

As nearly all of your material, this piece provokes more questions than it answers. When you think about it, that's what the best literature does; otherwise, the few English professors left in North America would have nothing to do.

I do like this piece, Prince -- don't get me wrong -- But --

--Do "love" and "fortitude" conflict with each other, or is this a case of the parts being greater than the whole? That's the problem with using amorphous abstractions. Even though a poem by definition is a compression of images and thoughts, the reader requires enough information to comprehend what the topic is. "Love" for instance, can't really be defined ultimately; everyone who employs the word has a different interpretation of what it really means.

--I appreciate the introduction of "Alex," but beyond his superficial appearance, the reader would welcome an illustration of his "civility." Also why is it necessary to mention such civility when the ambience is already one of "good will?"

--Why exactly is this an "occasion to love everything and everyone"? Again, how about some examples?

Remember what William Carlos Williams famously said:
"No ideas but in things."

[PrinceMyshkin]

I'm posting the following comments because of the great respect I have for your work.

Oh God, this reminds me of one of the reviews of my first novel, which (the review) began "CJ Newman teaches Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia..." and I knew that if my goose was not cooked yet, the odour of roasted goose was beginning to permeate the house...


Additionally, I believe that you have enough depth in your character to realize that a perfunctory comment, such as "Awesome job, Dude!" ain't gonna cut it.

As nearly all of your material, this piece provokes more questions than it answers. When you think about it, that's what the best literature does; otherwise, the few English professors left in North America would have nothing to do.

I do like this piece, Prince -- don't get me wrong

Now, surely, it's time to remove that poor bird from the oven!


-- But --

--Do "love" and "fortitude" conflict with each other, or is this a case of the parts being greater than the whole? That's the problem with using amorphous abstractions. Even though a poem by definition is a compression of images and thoughts, the reader requires enough information to comprehend what the topic is. "Love" for instance, can't really be defined ultimately; everyone who employs the word has a different interpretation of what it really means.

If your image of me coincides to any degree with Virgil's profile avatar, you've got me wrong: I work in a much more helter-skelter way, pick up the nearest dart and fling it somewhat blindly. I agree: neither "love" nor "fortitude" can be pictured concretely. They were for me a grab at two of the many human aspirations/activities that stand somewhat opposed to each other and can, presumably, be sniffed in the cold winter air.




--I appreciate the introduction of "Alex," but beyond his superficial appearance, the reader would welcome an illustration of his "civility." Also why is it necessary to mention such civility when the ambience is already one of "good will?"

Well, because as an employee at an institution that serves the public, he might be expected to display "civility" but I detected and value an underlying more spontaneous quality to it.


--Why exactly is this an "occasion to love everything and everyone"? Again, how about some examples?

Examples: Alex, e.g., a seemingly minor character in my everyday drama, but vis a vis our regular exchanges, an occasion for me to feel love if not Love!


Remember what William Carlos Williams famously said:
"No ideas but in things."

Yes, as in red wheelbarrows... I'd have given almost anything to have written his "Danse Russe." Now you go and interrogate him, if you would and you have a link to the after-life, about how that poem justifies that title.

[qimissung]

Thank you for a wonderful laugh (see above post) to end my day.:lol:

I like your poem, too; why here, though, and not in your snapshots?

[PrinceMyshkin]

Thank you for a wonderful laugh (see above post) to end my day.:lol:

I like your poem, too; why here, though, and not in your snapshots?

1) I wanted to pay separate, distinct honour to Alex, and

2) I try to keep authorial intrusion out of my "Snapshots," contrary to the final two lines of this.

Pendragon: Thanks for your always appreciated comments.

[hack]

Awesome job, Dude! No, but seriously, awesome job, dude.

[paperleaves]

"There are occasions to love/ everything and everyone" is probably the best ending you could have produced for this simply beautiful piece, mastering the vitality of the "sociological imagination". I love everything about this piece, especially the line that encounters "love and fortitude", because how often we blindly forget that the two words go hand-in-hand! How can one have love without fortitude, the grace in a courageous act of facing one's adversities? And why, why is it that we would thirst for a deeper explanation of Alex? besides it being one of the mysteries of the human condition--our innate curiosities--I feel that what you briefly told us about Alex is sufficient. It adheres to the notion that even in strangers, animals, birds, the predatory wasp, there is a moment to love and behold in wonder, everyone and everything!


love
Kate

[AuntShecky]

Oh God, this reminds me of one of the reviews of my first novel,


In the words of the late, great Johnny Carson, "I did NOT know that!" What's the title and publication details? Speaking for myself, I'd love to read it, and I'm sure many of our LitNutters would as well. Still another reason to admire the Prince!

A "first" novel -- meaning you've not only had one published but also reviewed-- also meaning there has been a second, then you've got bragging rights that many of us do not share. And it also means that you must know what you're doing. So disregard my previous message.

[PrinceMyshkin]

In the words of the late, great Johnny Carson, "I did NOT know that!" What's the title and publication details? Speaking for myself, I'd love to read it, and I'm sure many of our LitNutters would as well. Still another reason to admire the Prince!

A "first" novel -- meaning you've not only had one published but also reviewed-- also meaning there has been a second, then you've got bragging rights that many of us do not share. And it also means that you must know what you're doing. So disregard my previous message.

http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2815166

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=848321603&tab=1&searchurl=isbn%3D0575014814%26ph%3D2

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Newman&sts=t&tn=Sudden+Proclamations&x=71&y=13

[qimissung]

It is a moment, and upon reading it I am cast into the middle of a coffee shop with people milling about, talking, the light shining in, the warm moist air casting out the bitter cold and the distant rumors.

What you do is so apparently simple, but not really simple at all.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Awesome job, Dude! No, but seriously, awesome job, dude.

I had my doubts about that first "awesome" but the references to "Dude" and "No, but seriously" cleared them all away. Thanks

[Pensive]

Beautiful!
Love the sound of this part:

There are occasions to love
everything and everyone.

[PrinceMyshkin]

"There are occasions to love/ everything and everyone" is probably the best ending you could have produced for this simply beautiful piece, mastering the vitality of the "sociological imagination". I love everything about this piece, especially the line that encounters "love and fortitude", because how often we blindly forget that the two words go hand-in-hand! How can one have love without fortitude, the grace in a courageous act of facing one's adversities? And why, why is it that we would thirst for a deeper explanation of Alex? besides it being one of the mysteries of the human condition--our innate curiosities--I feel that what you briefly told us about Alex is sufficient. It adheres to the notion that even in strangers, animals, birds, the predatory wasp, there is a moment to love and behold in wonder, everyone and everything!


love
Kate

'Scuse me, but is this supposed to be a response to my poem or a beautiful, generous poem of your own?

Either way, thank you, thank you...

Love
Jer

Many thanks, Firefangled, Pendragon, Bar, Pensive, Babbalanja & Qimmisung...


It is a moment, and upon reading it I am cast into the middle of a coffee shop with people milling about, talking, the light shining in, the warm moist air casting out the bitter cold and the distant rumors.

What you do is so apparently simple, but not really simple at all.

There is something about your second statement that is profoundly humbling, and gratifying.