Poetry preparation.

Richard Poole b. 1946

I have been looking at poetry in general for the last few weeks so that I don't look a complete idiot on Tuesday in college! I thought I may be able to say what kind of poetry I liked if asked, and be able to say something about one or two poems at least. It hasn't quite worked out like that! However, this morning things improved, I read this, and it's something I can identify with.

Separation

Sleeping by myself is curious.

The strangeness isn't the product

of you not being here,

of the cold fact of disconnectedness -

but your refusal in our severance

to be utterly away!

You persist on the edge of perception,

a distraction -

an imaginary sound that turns my head,

a shadow half-glimpsed in mirror-glass,

the wraith of a perfume in a room.

Tonight I shall douse the light,

clamber into the emptiest of sheets,

close my eyes,

and fold myself away into your absence.

Richard Poole

It makes it easier when you understand something that you are reading about, so I guess I like the more modern works and the man who wrote it is close to my own age, with the awareness of a situation that I can understand.


However, my perception of doom is ever deepening. Knowing my luck, I will have to study John Donne or something as secular and divine. This could be a long semester.



P.S I hope my sister doesn't read this blog entry - it was she who bought me the book of poems by John Donne! Sorry A. xx