Saturday, February 9, 2008

a fragment (not yet perhaps to satisfaction) by N Manning

Nicholas Manning

which will not be taken to the house
that night in an arena left shared
not by any bed only
to rise
what day
as * the bullet
among the . . . love me :
little ball which does not die
and the only statement * possible
that of the positive refusal
acknowledgement
of what
is never there
blacken lung the grotto is
not covered by * an explanation
treated not as the proponents of the props
would have eternal to unchangeable
but as those
who wish to sculpt * the arc
knowing that the arc begins in media res
and fires out its never-landing golden arches
as history in no way directs this out
as the air upon * by thrilling
making course according
while acceding
to my laws
which are perhaps not * in essence
but if not taken as malevolence
then known to be changeable
and acknowledged
in short
to say that there is nothing there
then that nothing is born « to make »
in arabesqual flow * -ers not
by any effects traced to
but by
some solution
to the oldest problem *
and in this possible
cause

2 comments:

Unknown said...

LOVELY poem SUE!!!! I adore some of the sounds, the wind reflected by the movement of the poem both lyrically and physically! I wonder whether Nate Pritts is reading these, and hearing how far his initial poem's vocabularly has blown on the winds of its vocabulary, themes and sounds. I think it is such a compliment to echo and respond to another's poem, and certainly with a response at la hauteur of the original. Thanks Nate & Sue!!!

Jennifer K Dick said...

OOPs, that other comment was for Sue, sorry Nicholas! I like your fragment, and though for you it may be "not yet to satisfaction", I find it rich and evocative, echoing both language uses I have read in other poems of yours, but also perhaps other reworders, like George Vance or even Robert Oventile's word mashes and plays. Thanks for sharing, posting at this slow period in the land of rewording!!!