Proofs
Death will not correct
a single line of verse
she is no proof-reader
she is no sympathetic
lady editor
a bad metaphor is immortal
a shoddy poet who has died
is a shoddy dead poet
a bore bores after death
a fool keeps up his foolish chatter
from beyond the grave
Tadeusz Rózewicz
translated from the Polish by Adam Czerniawski
Monday, August 07, 2006
Getting it right
Another commonplace book entry, offered as encouragement.
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2 comments:
Good poem Peter. And about as encouraging as Heaney's: 'The way we are living,/ timorous or bold,/ will have been our life.''
Hi Peter
I am listening to you, Pat Boran and Tom the teacher talk TS Eliot. The world domination strategy is no longer being executed from my toffee shop office, but from a new home-based bedsit work station, where I am tapping away as you three chatter, freely drawing from the well-spring of langauge within and slopping through the airwaves on a wireless stream directly debited for the bargain price of 18 quid a month from Irish Broadband.
The reason I am splodging a deposit upon your canvas is to tell you of your numerous unique combos. "Laureate of hesitancy" is but one amongst many I have heard in the few short minutes of being clamped to the Enchanted Way.
I check originality by googling the combos and am pleased to inform you that you are slightly ahead of Pat thus far in my straw poll.
Tom the teacher is in third and has not spouted any memorable quotes, just offered instruction on the topic of arresting lines.
The Kavanagh Celebration is on 1 September above the Palace Bar and should be a laugh, so if you fancy a Friday night immersed in the word
deport your way to Fleet Street
Au Revoir
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