Today's poem
First writing workshop with golden folks or teachers of the previous writing group via Zoom in 2021. Except for me, all of them were native English speakers. Our discussion was fruitful, though sometimes I couldn't quickly catch their dialogue. I asked 'Why is this a correct expression?', then they answered 'As English language'. Be neither taught nor learnt - language is as it is? As reading a lot, discussing a lot of times, analysis becomes more sophisticated, more precise. In the workshop, I was impressed by an autumn poem created by one member using the first line of Blake's The Tyger. Indeed, such a workshop is truly valuable with reading in an objective perspective. Thanks to the bright facilitator Hugo and lovely folks for their generosity. See you again this February. xxx
For Allen Ginsberg by X. J. Kennedy
First writing workshop with golden folks or teachers of the previous writing group via Zoom in 2021. Except for me, all of them were native English speakers. Our discussion was fruitful, though sometimes I couldn't quickly catch their dialogue. I asked 'Why is this a correct expression?', then they answered 'As English language'. Be neither taught nor learnt - language is as it is? As reading a lot, discussing a lot of times, analysis becomes more sophisticated, more precise. In the workshop, I was impressed by an autumn poem created by one member using the first line of Blake's The Tyger. Indeed, such a workshop is truly valuable with reading in an objective perspective. Thanks to the bright facilitator Hugo and lovely folks for their generosity. See you again this February. xxx
For Allen Ginsberg by X. J. Kennedy
Ginsberg, Ginsberg, burning bright,
Taunter of the ultra right,
What blink of the Buddha’s eye
Chose the day for you to die?
Queer pied piper, howling wild,
Mantra-minded flower child,
Queen of Maytime, misrule’s lord
Bawling, Drop out! All aboard!
Finger-cymbaled, chanting Om,
Foe of fascist, bane of bomb,
Proper poets’ thorn-in-side,
Turner of a whole time’s tide,
Who can fill your sloppy shoes?
What a catch for Death. We lose
Glee and sweetness, freaky light,
Ginsberg, Ginsberg, burning bright.
Taunter of the ultra right,
What blink of the Buddha’s eye
Chose the day for you to die?
Queer pied piper, howling wild,
Mantra-minded flower child,
Queen of Maytime, misrule’s lord
Bawling, Drop out! All aboard!
Finger-cymbaled, chanting Om,
Foe of fascist, bane of bomb,
Proper poets’ thorn-in-side,
Turner of a whole time’s tide,
Who can fill your sloppy shoes?
What a catch for Death. We lose
Glee and sweetness, freaky light,
Ginsberg, Ginsberg, burning bright.
(from the website of Poetry Foundation)