I do love the idea of the Sunday Salon and, even more so, the idea of having nothing better to do on a Sunday than curling up with a good book and sharing it with a worldwide community of bookaholics doing exactly the same. However, Sundays aren’t lazy in this household as evidenced by the fact that it’s 15:00 and I’m just sitting down to decide on today’s reading material. And here it is, complete with a cup of hazelnut coffee that Dovegreyreader ordered earlier today. Dgr, I do hope this will serve as a substitute for a piece of walnut cake.
There’s no cake in the cupboard as I’m supposed to be on a diet ….. just like I’m on a book-buying embargo. January was an utter failure in both departments but February is a short month – surely I can last out!
Today’s reading material chose itself as it only came into my possession this morning. I did not buy it (the embargo is intact) - a good friend gave it to me in preparation for next month’s Aye Write! The book is this year’s Glasgow City Read and I believe has been published especially for it - From Saturn to Glasgow – Fifty Favourite Poems by Edwin Morgan.
Now I don’t think I’ve ever willingly read a poem (seriously). So this afternoon’s reading session is going to be a little adventure! See you later …..
Update: 20:30
I have now read half the collection – so that’s 25 poems more than I’ve read in the last 25 years! Together with Edwin Morgan I have travelled though potted biographies of Glaswegian industrialists, attended funerals of gangsters, mourned the death of Marilyn Monroe, bemoaned the stupidity of politicians and in lighter moments, inhabited the brain of a hyena and wandered merrily as a cloud (oops, wrong poet) through Scottish glens. I’m exhausted!
But what an afternoon! I’m saving the second half for next week, which will give me time to get clued up on something called “concrete poetry”.
I’m a poetic philistine so I can’t offer any great insights regarding Morgan’s technique. I shall just assume that the man is as brilliant as his reputation. Here’s a sampler:
The Loch Ness Monster’s Song
Ssnnnwhuffffll?
Hnwhuffl hhnnnnwfl hnfl hfl?
Gdroblboblhobngbl gbl gl g g g g glbgl.
Drublhaflablhaflubhafgabhaflhafl fl fl -
gm grawwwww grf grawf awfgm graw gm.
Hovoplodok-doplodovok-plovoddokot-doplododokosh?
Splgraw fok fok splgrafhatchgabrlgabrl fok splfok!
Zgra kra gka fok!
Grof frawff gahf?
Gombl mbl bl -
blm plm,
blm plm,
blm plm,
blp.
(Priceless – but does it scan?)
That’ll do nicely Lizzie, I’ll eat your slice of cake if that helps, though really I shouldn’t.
Be interested to hear how the poetry goes.
Isn’t it strange that we have a different attitude to poetry. I wonder why that is? I hadn’t ead any for a long time then had a bit of a binge. My daughter needed a book of poems by Carol Ann Duffy so I read that from cover to cover then set off for the poetry part of our bookshelves to see what else I couold snack on. I’ll probably go on a poetry fast again for a month or year or two.
Enjoy the poetry Lizzie. Did you know yesterday was silent poetry day and bloggers all over the world were sharing their favourite poems?
Oh, I hope that you enjoy the poetry. I’m of the opinion that poetry has been generally ruined for people by the way that it gets taught in school. They have you mine for meaning, and totally lose the music.
Some of Morgan’s concrete poetry is great while some of it, even after repeated ‘reads’, is still impenetrable.
The one above, The Loch Ness Monster’s Song is probably better heard spoken than trying to read it for yourself. Luckily it’s one of the poems, along with Hyena, that you can hear Morgan recite on the Poetry Archive.
The Loch Ness Monster’s Song is better heard than attempted in one’s head. Brilliant in fact! Thanks for the link, Stewart. That’s made my day!