tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post6645076027529230440..comments2024-03-23T20:37:37.891-07:00Comments on First Known When Lost: GlimmersStephen Pentzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-79093381478998658392015-09-22T21:05:42.310-07:002015-09-22T21:05:42.310-07:00Anonymous: Thank you for your thoughts, and for t...Anonymous: Thank you for your thoughts, and for the poem by Jeffers, which is new to me.<br /><br />Yes, I have expressed reservations about Jeffers, which, I confess, are based less on my knowledge of his poetry (which is extremely limited) than on my perception that he was something of a misanthropic crank. I may be entirely wrong about that, and perhaps I ought to give him more of a chance. After all, I have said many times here (probably ad nauseam) that it is the poem that matters, not the poet. Thus, to cite two examples, I have never liked W. B. Yeats and Ezra Pound as people, but I do love a great number of Yeats's poems, as well as Pound's Chinese translations and quite a few poems that he wrote in his early years, before he disappeared into The Cantos. Hence, perhaps I am being too judgmental about Jeffers.<br /><br />In fact, I think there is a great deal of truth in "The Answer" (for instance, "not be duped/By dreams of universal justice or happiness"), but I'm not sure of it as poetry. I guess I've never been fond of these sorts of expansive, long-winded, all-encompassing Whitman-like sermons to the Universe as poetry. And, although this poem is short, I detect a lot of that manner in Jeffers's poetry as a whole. In saying this, I may be accused of hypocrisy given that I am fond of large parts of Wordsworth's expansive, long-winded declamations to the Universe in The Prelude and in his other long poems.<br /><br />In any event, I do appreciate your sharing of this poem, because it goes well here. Thanks again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-57829405665527072562015-09-22T11:29:55.462-07:002015-09-22T11:29:55.462-07:00Mr. Woolums: Thank you very much for your kind co...Mr. Woolums: Thank you very much for your kind comments about the blog. Your thought about "a kind man supporting his neighbor" is particularly nice, and greatly appreciated. Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to self-describe myself as "kind," but I do like to think, as I mentioned in this post, that we are all in this together. Gathering the poems and paintings together is an attempt to clear some quiet space for all of us. <br /><br />And thank you as well for the recommendation of Dwight W. Tryon: I was unaware of him. I have since explored his paintings on the Internet, and I completely agree with you: his work is wonderful. Thanks to you, I think that you will see some of his paintings appear here in the future.<br /><br />Thank you for visiting again, and for sharing your thoughts.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-9361409234051484012015-09-21T10:17:29.458-07:002015-09-21T10:17:29.458-07:00I know from your responses to comments from your r...I know from your responses to comments from your readers that you are no fan of the poet Robinson Jeffers. But when I read your recent post, I thought of a short poem of his that seems to fit in nicely with your comments (it is posted below.)Jeffers thought man should uncenter himself, love outward, not inward, and understand he is a part of a colossal whole. The greatest beauty might indeed be "organic wholeness." Jeffers thinks humanity has severed itself from the whole, in the process embracing pernicious illusions, which Jeffers thinks akin to incest. We are not the non plus ultra of creation, though fulminations from the pulpit insist we are. <br /><br />As you well note: progress is an illusion. How much blood has been shed in the pursuit of universal love and happiness. It might be an exaggeration,but one might conclude that humanity has never been so deluded by dreams as it is right now. <br /><br /> The Answer<br /><br />Then what is the answer?- Not to be deluded by dreams. <br />To know that great civilizations have broken down into violence, <br />and their tyrants come, many times before. <br />When open violence appears, to avoid it with honor or choose <br />the least ugly faction; these evils are essential. <br />To keep one's own integrity, be merciful and uncorrupted <br />and not wish for evil; and not be duped <br />By dreams of universal justice or happiness. These dreams will <br />not be fulfilled. <br />To know this, and know that however ugly the parts appear <br />the whole remains beautiful. A severed hand <br />Is an ugly thing and man dissevered from the earth and stars <br />and his history... for contemplation or in fact... <br />Often appears atrociously ugly. Integrity is wholeness, <br />the greatest beauty is <br />Organic wholeness, the wholeness of life and things, the divine beauty <br />of the universe. Love that, not man <br />Apart from that, or else you will share man's pitiful confusions, <br />or drown in despair when his days darken. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-51358904477198752902015-09-20T22:56:05.733-07:002015-09-20T22:56:05.733-07:00Mr. Floyd: Thank you very much for your kind word...Mr. Floyd: Thank you very much for your kind words about the post, and for sharing Nemerov's poem, which fits well in this context. Those last four lines are wonderful, aren't they?<br /><br />Your sharing the poem also has the benefit of reminding me that it has been far too long since I have visited Nemerov's poetry. As I'm sure you know, he is a marvelous poet of autumn, and now is a perfect time to read him.<br /><br />As always, thank you for stopping by.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-57735416687678395912015-09-20T21:16:48.670-07:002015-09-20T21:16:48.670-07:00NIge: That's very nice of you to say. Thank ...NIge: That's very nice of you to say. Thank you. I was preoccupied with those four haiku by Shiki, and the other things just fell into place along with them. I greatly appreciate your kind words.<br /><br />It's a pleasure to hear from you again. Congratulations on your retirement! As ever, thank you very much for visiting.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-83466282175376429902015-09-20T21:00:54.058-07:002015-09-20T21:00:54.058-07:00Brian: Thank you very much for your kind words ab...Brian: Thank you very much for your kind words about the blog. It is an honor to be mentioned in the same breath as Patrick's Anecdotal Evidence. It, together with Michael Gilleland's Laudator Temporis Acti, inspired me to start First Known When Lost. And Patrick and Michael were both extremely supportive as I embarked.<br /><br />Yes, the urge to understand our condition is "both noble and pitiful," but mostly noble, I think. Although it may be more realistic to seek acceptance and serenity. Speaking solely for myself, I don't expect to find any answers or "understanding." But I think that serenity and acceptance are achievable, at least at times.<br /><br />Thank you again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-15254936628486707732015-09-20T19:40:30.441-07:002015-09-20T19:40:30.441-07:00I look forward to your thoughts and the poetry but...I look forward to your thoughts and the poetry but also the pictures. I stumbled into the artist, Dwight W. Tryon. You seem to be a student of art so you may know of him. I find his melancholy landscapes to be sublime.<br /><br />You have got your presentation perfected. I would not want to see you change anything and I especially like the respectful approach to poetry. It brings to mind a kind man supporting his neighbor.<br /><br /> Darrell WoolumsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-63822952078173882732015-09-20T10:15:53.210-07:002015-09-20T10:15:53.210-07:00The Blue Swallows
--Howard Nemerov ...<br /><br /> The Blue Swallows<br /> --Howard Nemerov <br /><br />Across the millstream below the bridge <br />Seven blue swallows divide the air <br />In shapes invisible and evanescent, <br />Kaleidoscopic beyond the mind’s <br />Or memory’s power to keep them there. <br /><br />“History is where tensions were,” <br />“Form is the diagram of forces.” <br />Thus, helplessly, there on the bridge, <br />While gazing down upon those birds— <br />How strange, to be above the birds!— <br />Thus helplessly the mind in its brain <br />Weaves up relation’s spindrift web, <br />Seeing the swallows’ tails as nibs <br />Dipped in invisible ink, writing… <br /><br />Poor mind, what would you have them write? <br />Some cabalistic history <br />Whose authorship you might ascribe <br />To God? to Nature? Ah, poor ghost, <br />You’ve capitalized your Self enough. <br />That villainous William of Occam <br />Cut out the feet from under that dream <br />Some seven centuries ago. <br />It’s taken that long for the mind <br />To waken, yawn and stretch, to see <br />With opened eyes emptied of speech <br />The real world where the spelling mind <br />Imposes with its grammar book <br />Unreal relations on the blue <br />Swallows. Perhaps when you will have <br />Fully awakened, I shall show you <br />A new thing: even the water <br />Flowing away beneath those birds <br />Will fail to reflect their flying forms, <br />And the eyes that see become as stones <br />Whence never tears shall fall again. <br /><br />O swallows, swallows, poems are not <br />The point. Finding again the world, <br />That is the point, where loveliness <br />Adorns intelligible things <br />Because the mind’s eye lit the sun.<br /><br />Sir,<br /><br />Your mention of swifts in your superb post (one of your best it seems to me) reminded me, for some reason obscure to me, of Howard Nemerov's poem "The Blue Swallows." His point, I think, is than when all is pared to the bone, we find, not analysis, not complication, but the mind's simple apprehension of the world's beauty. We need to be fully awake to see reality. If we doze we miss all, no matter our glib loquaciousness. We should be about<br /> <br />Finding again the world, <br />That is the point, where loveliness <br />Adorns intelligible things <br />Because the mind’s eye lit the sun.<br /><br /> <br />Bruce Floydnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-91141581875218168862015-09-20T07:57:08.667-07:002015-09-20T07:57:08.667-07:00A wise and beautiful post, Stephen.A wise and beautiful post, Stephen.Nigehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13314891387515045404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-49054167127190615912015-09-20T04:26:28.983-07:002015-09-20T04:26:28.983-07:00"We are all in this together." More'..."We are all in this together." More's the pity, as Wilfred Owen might have said. This universal reaching to understand the condition we find ourselves in is both noble and pitiful. <br /><br />Your blog and Mr. Kurp's are my only essential literary blogs. Thank-you.<br /><br /><br /> Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12068470029393614652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-65114828898067199342015-09-19T21:01:06.977-07:002015-09-19T21:01:06.977-07:00Ultra Monk: Yes, don't we all! Speaking for ...Ultra Monk: Yes, don't we all! Speaking for myself, practicing humility (in a non-prideful manner) is a daily, lifetime task -- one that will never be finished. It's human nature to think that we are the center of the universe, that we are always right, that we are unique, etc., etc. . . . Hard to get rid of all of that.<br /><br />Thank you very much for your kind words about the post. It's nice to hear from you again. As ever, thank you for visiting.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-45915366376203789802015-09-19T17:18:32.439-07:002015-09-19T17:18:32.439-07:00More Fire, More Ice: Thank you for visiting, and ...More Fire, More Ice: Thank you for visiting, and for your comment. I haven't read the Washington Post article, but I understand the point, as well as your own reaction.<br /><br />The "us versus them" nature of the politically-inclined seems like a colossal waste of human spirit and energy to me, especially when it is accompanied by a holier-than-thou, supercilious, morally-superior attitude. Throw in the usual hypocrisy, disingenuousness, and selective outrage, and I run the other direction, whether they are left, right, or Martian. I suppose that this makes me selfish and apathetic. Oh well. Life is too short.<br /><br />By the way, I don't see this as solely an American issue. It is a worldwide malady.<br /><br />Thank you again for your thoughts, and for stopping by.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-90681621972333190402015-09-19T11:52:44.590-07:002015-09-19T11:52:44.590-07:00Wow! Awesome blog. I need every ounce of humility ...Wow! Awesome blog. I need every ounce of humility I can get.Ultra Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17114687648173828336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-11974339672376034272015-09-19T06:18:11.474-07:002015-09-19T06:18:11.474-07:00Very nice. Today, the 19th, the Washington Post h...Very nice. Today, the 19th, the Washington Post has a bit about Democrats and Republicans living in two different countries, if not worlds. Politics will do that. . .certainly has to me.More Fire, More Icehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12209989825266917280noreply@blogger.com