I used these stanzas, pinned on my noticeboard, to inspire me when I wrote NEAR EDGWARE.
***
Mac, the pack Alpha, has been raising the next generation. He hopes they'll make a difference. But to be Were, and city living? Enmity woven into the fabric of society? Is London really home? Mac would never let the pack know, but often he despairs.
Wolfwatching - butchered
Woolly-bear white, the old wolf
Is listening to London. His eyes, withered in
Under the white wool, black peepers,
While he makes nudging, sniffing offers
At the horizon of noise, the blue-cold April
Invitation of airs.
Is listening to London. His eyes, withered in
Under the white wool, black peepers,
While he makes nudging, sniffing offers
At the horizon of noise, the blue-cold April
Invitation of airs.
***
All his power is a tangle of old ends,
A jumble of leftover scraps and bits of energy
And bitten-off impulses and dismantled intuitions.
He can't settle. He's ruffling
And re-organizing his position all day
A jumble of leftover scraps and bits of energy
And bitten-off impulses and dismantled intuitions.
He can't settle. He's ruffling
And re-organizing his position all day
***
The fairy tales
Grow stale all around him...
His eyes
Keep telling him all this is real
And that he's a wolf--of all things
To be in the middle of London, of all
Futile, hopeless things.
DO YOU HAVE A POEM, OR A POET, WHO INSPIRES YOU?
Grow stale all around him...
His eyes
Keep telling him all this is real
And that he's a wolf--of all things
To be in the middle of London, of all
Futile, hopeless things.
DO YOU HAVE A POEM, OR A POET, WHO INSPIRES YOU?
Strangely, for someone who loves poetry, I actually don't. Now I'm wondering why. :-)
ReplyDeleteMisha
ReplyDeleteI recommend this avenue of inspiration.
There is a world of poetry, and lyrics, out waiting to inspire you :)
I'm trying to remember the name of the Author of a collection of poetry that inspired me. Darn. I wrote it down too. She wrote of a simple bit of moss under a rock, but it stayed with me.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea Near Edgware.
Oh Shelby - I wonder who your poet is... I'll have to look at see if I can track the poet down.
ReplyDeleteThanks for saying you love the idea of NEAR EDGWARE :) *I love it, quite obsessively *blush
I live in Montana and I love wolves. So many people feel the opposite, especially the ranchers who have infringed on the wolf's territory. They are such a beautiful animal with their intense eyes. Often, my dog. Coty gets that far-away wild look in her eyes.
ReplyDeleteI used to read a lot of the German poet Rilke's translations but of late, I haven't read much poetry.
Have a joyful weekend.
Hi Manzanita
ReplyDeleteI love how close you are to real wolves. Amazing. Ted Hughes wrote lots of wolf poetry - he lived near enough to London zoo to hear them howl at night. ;)