Under a beige beret,
behind a moustache
of indubitable antiquity,
an elderly man
limps determinedly
from one leg to the other,
reminding me, somehow,
of a discredited Balkan Lieutenant-Colonel
Under a beige beret,
behind a moustache
of indubitable antiquity,
an elderly man
limps determinedly
from one leg to the other,
reminding me, somehow,
of a discredited Balkan Lieutenant-Colonel
Who was it said that; 'Hell is other people'Originally Posted by PrinceMyshkin
I feel for Jordan.
As for the discredited Balkan Lt. Col.
Perhaps he was. Agatha Christie used to see people that caught her eye and write whole murder mysteries inspired by them with the lives she imagined for their back-stories. Do you do this too, Prince or are you just content to immortalise the moment with your succinct elegance?
H
As do I. I lamented the poverty of my attempt to describe him, a much-used cliche, but within my self-defined Snapshots limitations that was the best I could do. You seem to have picked up my intent. He was the one who initiated contact with me. I'd have been too intimidated to do so, and in ay case he often seems to be narcoleptic.
When I finished the cigarette I'd been smoking and excused myself for needing to get back into the cafe and out of the cold, he apologized to me.
"What for?" I asked.
"For not having more to say..."
I'd be delighted if I thought I could make him or any other the subject of narrative prose but for years now I've been psychologically unable to do that, probably because my last novel and several stories for children were all rejected and my imagination is sulking.
As for the discredited Balkan Lt. Col.
Perhaps he was. Agatha Christie used to see people that caught her eye and write whole murder mysteries inspired by them with the lives she imagined for their back-stories. Do you do this too, Prince or are you just content to immortalise the moment with your succinct elegance?
H
The rejection thing is tough. You’re ahead of the game compared with me though, I can’t even get an agent. I’ve been neglecting my novel as I’m spending all my time writing poetry. (Or at least trying to). My trouble is I can’t write for a commercial audience, only the weird, surreal, quirky stuff for my own pleasure.
I really liked the short you sent me and I would have thought that a collection of tales of James, with illustrations, would have been a goer for the children’s market. I guess all we can do is keep plugging away.
H
Three guitars, a Dobro,
banjo, bass. Now and then
the banjo player
produces an harmonica
in his left hand
and with his right
his fingers flitter rapidly
to produce a melancholy yowl
I sit here, sipping my cigarette,
smoking my allongé,
waiting for a poem.
A bus goes by, another one,
and I’m waiting for a poem.
Several people go by, one
looks at me, but I’m
sipping on my memories,
smoking my brain and
waiting for a poem
I've just stumbled upon these exquisite snapshots - a bit like finding some original Cartiere-Bressons in one's attic.....
Really fine writing, sir.
They deserve more exposure (forgive the feeble pun).
H
'smoking my brain'. No way. I wrote this line in my notebook the other day in some short poem. I can't believe that. And you beat me to publishing it on Litnet.
Well i'm glad you did cause that little snapshot is wonderful, better than mine.
'For sale: baby shoes, never worn'. Hemingway
Oh, "better than/worse than" are SO subjective! Check out this parable:
After his death, Rabbi Breathtest was met by the Examining Angel.
“Please give an account of your life,” the angel requested.
Being a scrupulously honest man and aware of the solemnity of the occasion, the Rabbi began:
“Well, I was not as courageous as Moses, nor as learned as the Rambam nor as wise as Rabbi Hillel–“
”You will not be judged according to others,” the Examining Angel interrupted, “but whether you were the best Rabbi Breathtest you could be.”
Your May 2nd snapshot has overtaken 'Birds in adjacent cages...' as my poem of the thread.
FOR ME, it captures the boredom of the artful mind in the context of everyday life. Hopefuly this person did something about it, like I'm trying to.
Last edited by Babyguile; 05-01-2010 at 02:51 PM.
'Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding.'
Volumnia in Coriolanus
wow! this actually resonated very strongly with me. Thank you for imparting this piece of wisdom Rabbi PrinceMyshkin (yes, a rabbi and a prince).After his death, Rabbi Breathtest was met by the Examining Angel.
“Please give an account of your life,” the angel requested.
Being a scrupulously honest man and aware of the solemnity of the occasion, the Rabbi began:
“Well, I was not as courageous as Moses, nor as learned as the Rambam nor as wise as Rabbi Hillel–“
”You will not be judged according to others,” the Examining Angel interrupted, “but whether you were the best Rabbi Breathtest you could be.”
as for the whole 'better than/worse than' being a subjective thing, let me rephrase my statement in a utilitarian way.
I like your poem better than the one that i wrote, and i think that a greater number of people will appreciate yours than would have mine.
Your words are important to many people Prince, people on this site as well as people you know personally, and we are all greatful that you share them here.
Peace! and Love! (and stop stealing my lines! haha).
'For sale: baby shoes, never worn'. Hemingway
Gimme a break! Let's say a few or even many like my poem better than yours, but just one person is deeply moved by yours, wouldn't that make us near enough equal?Tell you what I'm going to do to make up for that: I'm going to send you privately a quotation that moved me deeply and from which I wrote a poem, and if it intrigues you as it did me, you can write a poem inspired by it. Deal?
Peace! and Love! (and stop stealing my lines! haha).
I get your meaning. Even if only one person is moved by what we write, then the goal is achieved. Spreading some of the emotional significance that we feel when writing a poem is the goal, and if one person feels the emotion we tried to get across, then nothing else matters.Gimme a break! Let's say a few or even many like my poem better than yours, but just one person is deeply moved by yours, wouldn't that make us near enough equal?
That is certainly a deal. How can i turn down such a tantalising offer?Tell you what I'm going to do to make up for that: I'm going to send you privately a quotation that moved me deeply and from which I wrote a poem, and if it intrigues you as it did me, you can write a poem inspired by it. Deal?
'For sale: baby shoes, never worn'. Hemingway
Bravo, as usual Prince. I like them all, almost the better for moving quickly from one to another, as one walks through a garden.
I will look forward, breathtest, to seeing the poem you write, inspired by the quotation Prince sends you.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its' own reason for existing." ~ Albert Einstein
"Remember, no matter where you go, there you are." Buckaroo Bonzai "Some people say I done alright for a girl." Melanie Safka
A boy whose face is configured
in a frieze of dense stupidity
plods forward
against a wall of light rain
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