.
A noise would awaken or impersonate Kim.
As if these things were self evident
In her sleep ancient lunar fish enacted,
As if before an underwater window,
A comic mimicry of a sunken world,
The one Kim wished to inhabit -- as if
Wishing were the next best thing to being
There. When the white moon comes up in the black
Cold winter night, the skin of empire drifts off
Like a poison that's evaporated;
Funny, thought Kim, how the film over words
Loses its toxic power in certain lights
Above implication's dowager kingdom.
In her sleep ancient lunar fish enacted,
As if before an underwater window,
A comic mimicry of a sunken world,
The one Kim wished to inhabit -- as if
Wishing were the next best thing to being
There. When the white moon comes up in the black
Cold winter night, the skin of empire drifts off
Like a poison that's evaporated;
Funny, thought Kim, how the film over words
Loses its toxic power in certain lights
Above implication's dowager kingdom.
Full moon from Istanbul: photo by Maderibeyza, 2007
School of Goldband Fusilier (Pterocaesio chrysozona), Papua, New Guinea: photo by Mila Zinkova, 2004
School of Goldband Fusilier (Pterocaesio chrysozona), Papua, New Guinea: photo by Mila Zinkova, 2004
impressive ... really
ReplyDeleteposted this on my prose blog, with link:
ReplyDeletebeautiful poem by Tom Clark
*
this is impressive:
http://tomclarkblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/white-moon.html
...
the flow, the melodic momentum, the words in their intricate meaning(s),
it's all done with such subtle touches, in perfect control of his technique—
Clark seems to be posting poems as he writes them,
and this latest one is a brilliant example of the pleasures his blog presents—
...
Posted by knott
'knott' seems to have put into words what I meant to say. I am not very good with words, but you know what I mean Thomas.So I will pinch from 'knott'.......
ReplyDelete'it's all done with such subtle touches, in perfect control of his technique—'
'as if
Wishing were the next best thing to being
There' Sometimes this is so and sometimes it is better to be so, I am thinking.
I am thinking, I actually do a lot of thinking!
"impersonate Kim"
ReplyDelete"as if
Wishing were the next best thing to being
There."
and
" how the film over words
Loses its toxic power in certain lights
Above implication's dowager kingdom.
"
Beautiful.
The poem was very good to read. And as I write it, I am still reading it. And thinking ....
ps : Personally, I do not think a poem can impress me. And vice versa.
These are very touching and moving responses from several poetic geniuses and I am flattered and honoured. And yes, Aditya, I am even impressed, you could bowl me over with a pin.
ReplyDeleteClearly some thinking has been done here by some very great minds. My own not included. Kim's, though, yes, definitely.
SarahA and Aditya, you will be informed that "knott" is a legendary and famous character who has over the years risen like a phoenix from his own ashes more than once and therefore must be attended to when he honours us with a visit like this.
Of this mysterious figure Samuel Beckett once wrote, "Add to this that the few glimpses caught of Mr Knott, by Watt, were not clearly caught, but as it were in glass, not a looking-glass, a plain glass, an eastern window at morning, a western window at evening..." (and so on through the mathematical permutations).
Mr Knott may or may not also be a famous berry farmer.
I am altogether impressed and grateful.
Thanks, Bill! And everybody!
"Nowhere would anyone grant that science and poetry can be united. People forgot that science had developed from poetry and they failed to take into consideration that a swing of the pendulum might beneficently reunite the two, at a higher level and to mutual advantage." GOETHE (Goethe's Botanical Writings)
ReplyDeletein-steps Tom eons later in the same old coat —
"When the white moon comes up in the black
Cold winter night, the skin of empire drifts off
Like a poison that's evaporated"
"As if before an underwater window,
ReplyDeleteA comic mimicry of a sunken world..."
You got me inside the dream. The beauty of these sounds is almost as powerful as the words they represent. Images whirl in these remarkable lines.
To give simple delight or complex pleasure, to offer likeminded poet friends a moment in which to think or dream, feel or imagine, inwardly dance or sing, these have been the objectives, and thus it's pleasant indeed to read these kind comments from my esteemed and honourable guests. Thanks very much, Bob, Lucy, everyone.
ReplyDelete(Occasional visitors are encouraged to take advantage of these poets' blogs, each but a mouse click away and each opening upon a world.)
It just gets better, TC.
ReplyDeleteBilly,
ReplyDeleteAnd better.
To borrow a bit from the Old Masters:
things are
& are
unplanned
we drift
& drift
in time
(--B. Mills, "Lough Gur")
Lovely we've washed up on the same island in time. Many thanks.
Top Cat, I'm touched. Thank you.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.loughgur.com/
And thanks to you, Billy
ReplyDeleteI've visited this more than once Tom. What poetry is for. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love that the noise also "impersonates" Kim. Deft touch. I also enjoyed "underwater window" out loud. And then this:
ReplyDelete"the film over words
"Loses its toxic power in certain lights"
Mmmhmmm.
Always looking for those lights.
ReplyDelete"how the film over words
ReplyDeleteLoses its toxic power in certain lights..."
wow... love the way images merge into this resolution...
so wise and beautiful!
Thank you HB. Yes, this is one of those pieces where the images take over the controls and "do the talking," as if they had a mind of their own (in which case, at least somebody's got one). What a relief when that happens; one just follows along and tries to stay out of the way of whatever it is they seem to want to be saying.
ReplyDeleteoh yes i understand this... images taking over...
ReplyDeleteand always when they have done what they wanted to do... and when they have said what they intended to do, i found myself saved... cured... and more at peace... lighter...
I know this post was forever ago but I wanted to say this is beautifully written. I'm a junior aquarist who found sheer joy in your words. I could feel them and see myself in the water itself. Beautifully written.........
ReplyDeleteFaith
Many thanks, Faith. Forever-ago may as well be right now, as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDelete(I like your profile statement. Art, more art and then...more art!)