Thursday 24 December 2009

Stevie Smith: Bog-Face


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File:Zygocactus truncatus 01.JPG





Dear Little Bog-Face,
Why are you so cold?
And why do you lie with your eyes shut? --
You are not very old.

I am a Child of this World,
And a Child of Grace,
And Mother, I shall be glad when it is over,
I am Bog-Face.



File:Stevie Smith.jpg



Bog-Face: from The Collected Poems of Stevie Smith

Christmas cactus in bloom (Zygocactus truncatus): photo by Nayana Sondi, 2006
Florence Margaret ("Stevie") Smith: photo by Jorge Lewinski, 1966 (National Portrait Gallery, London)

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3 comments:

  1. Bob Arnold / Longhouse24 December 2009 at 10:29

    Of course, Tom,

    only you would think of
    (Me, Again)
    Stevie Smith for today!

    And no bog-face with stunning
    dripping Christmas cactus

    When I leave milk & cookies tonight for Santa, I'll also be leaving this Stevie stood up at the milk glass

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elmo St. Rose24 December 2009 at 20:04

    the fact that it's a poem
    still accentuates the positive
    you can see the glimmer dots
    behind the bog face

    tyger tyger burning bright
    they say

    ReplyDelete
  3. TC24 December 2009 at 21:37

    Prehistoric visage of alleged redeemer, dug up from peat bog -- frigid manger, mistaken identity -- blinks and says, Who me?

    ReplyDelete