Judith Bishop
on Yves Bonnefoy
Une façon de dire, qui ferait
Qu’on ne serait plus seul dans le langage.
A way among the words, that would be
The end of our solitude in language.
White Rose Map, Princess Haiku
I am trying to find an antique map that is a direction
rather than a testament to the lostness of the human spirit.
Most directions it is said, swirl into radiating circles and
all at once alight into the air; a pale flock of white birds;
a winter of unspoken desire.
Moon, do you have such a map?
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30 comments:
You may not find your ancient map there but talk of maps reminded me I hadn't visited Strange Maps recently. Worth a visit.
a thoughtful question....and they are perhaps, just around, waiting for inspiration :-)
Strange Maps was fun. Thanks for the rec acky.
--T.S. Eliot
The Four Quartets
Part II (partial)
"At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot say where.
And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it in time.
The inner freedom from the practical desire,
The release from action and suffering, release from the inner
And the outer compulsion, yet surrounded
By a grace of sense, a white light still and moving,
Erhebung without motion, concentration
Without elimination, both a new world
And the old made explicit, understood
In the completion of its partial ecstasy,
The resolution of its partial horror.
Yet the enchainment of past and future
Woven in the weakness of the changing body,
Protects mankind from heaven and damnation
Which flesh cannot endure.
Time past and time future
Allow but a little consciousness.
To be conscious is not to be in time
But only in time can the moment in the rose-garden,
The moment in the arbour where the rain beat,
The moment in the draughty church at smokefall
Be remembered; involved with past and future.
Only through time time is conquered."
Sometimes words are not sufficient to describe soul journeys .....but if anyone can map it: I trust Eliot to pull the veil back and reveal its journey ....
fondly,
lady blue
Thank you for comment. I update an article of various diets from now on.
Please please link.
May you put it in your blog?
Thank you. Thank you from now on.
direction rather than testament-- i like that
Dennis tried to be a poet. well..not giving up yet.
there's a lovely interview of Bonnefoy talking about Shakespeare here
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/064433.html
Thanks for the literate link, Lee. L3 :)
I am off to read the interview.
Very interesting discussion; printed a copy of it.
What an interesting question and thought... the "lostness of the human spirit" is such a great way to put what we all experience. KC
bittersweet I
Heartbreaking.
Heartrending.
It puzzles.
It baffles.
It bewilders.
Crashes like oceans,
carving continents.
It displaces solid ground.
Poignant and woeful.
Star-crossed and unglued.
It is me.
Tied up, done for.
It is you.
Unbound.
by lady blue
for you, dear Princess .....this version is yours and yours alone ...i have a different one that i will post eventually .....but this, yes, yes - not an Eliot .... but a lady blue. a poem for an aching heart; for you. i'm sorry.
xxx
lady blue
for you .....:
http://bluebicycle08.blogspot.com/2008/05/for-princess-haiku.html
lady blue
Thank you so much Lady Blue.
Princess ! You live in such a marvellous area !
I was there just at the right moment when the roses were at their best; at the same time there were some camellias still on the bush and enjoyed so much visiting San Francisco, Monterey, Yosemite Park, Truckee and so on ! It was great and I'm back now with all this memory
Dennis is thrilled to report a rosebud in his cold wet garden! The rose is called "Buffalo Gal" --a pinky red rose.
So inspiring words. It gave me the impression that you were describing an endless garden of such white flowers, and the hope you have to find it. The best of luck for you!
This is what I thought of, when I read this
Under the Ivy
It wouldn't take me long
To tell you how to find it
To tell you where we'll meet
This little girl inside me
Is retreating to her favorite place
Go into the garden
Go under the ivy
Under the leaves
Away from the party
Go right to the rose
Go right to the white rose
For me
I sit here in the thunder
The green on the grey
I feel it all around me
And it's not easy for me
To give away
A secret -- it's not safe
But go into the garden
Go under the ivy
Under the leaves
Away from the party
Go right to the rose
Go right to the white rose
For me
Go into the garden
Go under the ivy
Go under the leaves for me
Go right to the rose
Go right to the white rose
I'll be waiting for you
It wouldn't take me long
To tell you how to find it...
Kate Bush
I am glad that you enjoyed your visit to my beautiful part of the world, Cergie.
Oh, yes...White Rose.
Dennis, I am beginning to suspect that you are a secret romantic.
Thank you for your kind words, A.
Hi Princess,
Stopping in to say hello. I always enjoy your lovely flowers.
Have a great day,
Dorlana
It's those swirling radiating circles I am trying to get my mind around.
But that is the purpose of poetry, isn't it? Nice one
Princess you are a poet and a princess
dearest princess,
i pray you have not left behind the spool of spun silver thread i gave you before you began your journey.
it is a gossamer not of this world. unwind as you, dearest one. eventually, i promise, its silken cords will eventually lead you back to home ...
until then ... we all eagerly await you.....
much love,
lady blue
Hello, Princess Haiku. I've visited your blog before but had never commented. I wanted to say I enjoy your poetry very much. My grandmother was a published haiku poet (and also a teacher in various Japanese arts such as shamisen, tea ceremony, flower arrangement). I'm sure she would have loved your work if only she were still around and had understood English. All the best and thank you for making the world more beautiful and serene with your tender spirit.
Thank you for the sweet comment, sali. I would have liked to have met your grandmother and I suspect that some of her specialness lives on in you.
Sali, I stopped by your blog and didn't see a place to leave a comment so I will leave it here. You are beautiful and your music is wonderful.
Thank you, Prnicess Haiku! I'll continue to stop by--thank you for White Rose Map and other inspirational works of art.
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