For Wordsworth it was daffodils
\nremembered in the tranquility of distancing time
\n\u2014 years ago, this poet came to loathe that pretty poesy:
\nfor him it somewhat paradoxically represented
\nthe effete transcendance of spoiled poets
\nwho had descended to the nadir of na\u00efvt\u00e9
\nwho sold the powerful voice of poetry into
\nenslavement to prettiness and dismissable silliness.
\nYet paradoxically (again) he has written
\nvolumes of verses prior to blogging
\nverses which focus on the
\nbeauty tranquility and majesty
\nanyone can find just sitting by the river
\nthat runs by the end of this street
\nwhere he lives and in the summer
\nwithin a few feet of his cottage.<\/p>\n
Writing here for an audience (thus far) from
\nAsia, Australia, Europe and North America
\nhas made the poet aware that
\nhis soft little songs
\nabout lovely evenings and contentment
\nand peace and nice neighborhoods
\nand woods and the river and sunshine
\nwould be more than a little out of touch
\nfor many of his readers.<\/p>\n
He has come to feel apologetic as if some So he resolved to write about Should he write about the Inquiry into “Project Truth” Then he looks at the river and he weeps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For Wordsworth it was daffodils remembered in the tranquility of distancing time \u2014 years ago, this poet came to loathe that pretty poesy: for him it somewhat paradoxically represented the effete transcendance of spoiled poets who had descended to the … Continue reading
\napologia provita sua <\/em>were necessary as if
\nhe were obligated stop writing about his beloved river
\nto get street-dirty and
\nclaw it up and shout it out,
\nbecause even using the subjunctive mood
\nin this poem made him feel too genteel
\ntoo na\u00efve \u2014 guilty of happiness.<\/p>\n
\nissues that bring out the tissues
\nwhenever he could
\nSo with that end in mind
\n and Blake’s “London”<\/em>
\nhe thought to take a look at
\nthe slimy underbelly
\nof Canadian small city life.<\/p>\n
\nwhich is meeting in Cornwall to
\nconsider the truth in allegations that
\na ring of priests and professionals in
\nCornwall may have been absolved unjustly of
\nyears of child abuse
\nor that the taumatized victims are going to
\nbe shut out of testifying? Or should he discuss
\nhis own bitter disappointment about the facility in
\nwhich the Inquiry is meeting?
\nIt was his pet project, this perfect little theatre
\nlaunched with such improvisation, such hope
\nsuch community and collegial involvement:
\nThe Weave Shed Arts Centre,
\nabout which national musicians and theatre audiences
\nhave raved but after one shining year and a few sputters
\nsince then has sat dark \u2014 a victim of gentrification.
\nIf that is too personal, too embarrassing,
\nmaybe he should attack general issues
\nsling a verse or two together about our brutal
\nwife abusers or the homeless mentally ill
\nor the mentally handicapped
\nwho have been thrown out of their longtime shelters
\nto save tax dollars
\nor environmental entropy or smuggling or gambling
\nor cancer or diabetes or AIDS and all the other diseases
\nor obesity or prejudged local Mohawks
\nor Francophones or anglophones
\nor diasporas or agnostics or religions
\nor fashionistas or sports fans
\nor pet owners or smokers or \u2014<\/p>\n