(I half-forgot there was a camera taking my portraits; yes that is Peeko next to me.)
I am reading Seamus Heaney’s Poems, 1965 – 1975. I wanted a single book of poems, but this was the one there, and I’d browsed many books. I realized then I could happily borrow one book.
washed away the next night, Tuesday night’s lingering incense in my hair, pleasant during yoga session, Here I read with my teddybear Valentine gift, Alisi
This author was always placed in discussion with a mention of ‘This is the poet the world should be reading, and this is the poet no one is writing like, but should be’ in a class by one of my poetry professors I’d had in college. I found it hard to understand the poetry then. I think I was almost too nervous to even try with the reception. They are a style I enjoy with intricacy, but maybe a little horror-like for my mood.
His work seemed a little like Robert Frost at first, but there was a let down, as he does not have the charisma of Robert Frost I’d been intrigued by at this point in the book—no party guest desire—and I read through many poems and wasn’t really liking them for myself. But I did really enjoy “Fireside” and “Shore Woman” so far.
In this photo from the prev. night, I try to like the poem I am reading, and not so well…The bears I love.
I also would like to try the section from the book North, popular title I’d heard. Browsing those last pages, I’d thought his poems may have ripened in flavor by that time, pub. 1975. So he is much younger than Frost, who is very well-known in Vermont and New Hampshire. Seamus lived in Ireland, b. 1939. He would’ve been just about a year older than me then…I am scared. 😘 …Mathematics: 😯He was 36 when he wrote the book, so he is the same age as me now when he wrote it. 😯🧸🧸🧸💕Let’s just hug bears.
Look at this though, I found a receipt from another reader from 11/27/20 in the book; these little things I enjoy! It makes the world around me feel much closer as a whole as such a sweet little surprise of a thing.
I made great progress on my novel at the library, although I did not think I’d work on it. I am now at 5012 words, to continue tomorrow…
I close the book with these words: I really like some of these and especially the writing style with layers of meaning. But I do think toward the end of the North section he writes a little directly in a way that felt like a different genre for the artist man…The book overall spoke to my own poetic style I’d wanted to move more into and around the time I found this book at the library. A collection that will get a rise out of a reader at their best when Seamus writes more fully aware of the particulars in the setting itself and the universality also comes more naturally that way. But I do feel readers knowing the history of the time and place Ireland would find a fuller meaning in these poems.
I liked the first poem in the book, and in a way, it was similar to the last ones, but felt more like you are in the middle of the moments right with him. I plan to read a single poetry book by this author— maybe his first published one. And the last poem in the book, a series poem, “The Unacknowledged Legislator’s Dream” tied in so well with the beginning poems, a really interesting concept for a poem too with its title.
Blush of Dawn 