0158 For Fjr; Here's To Poetry Poem by Michael Shepherd
0158 For Fjr; Here's To Poetry
This is the illicit still of poetry
half hidden in the dry ditch beyond the hedge
firewater drunk from an old tin mug
it takes the skin off your throat
and drops it into your glowing stomach
and you don’t ask but maybe
wild crab-apples, turnips,
a handful of stolen barley, an old boot,
perhaps an incautious rat
who drowned in the middle of
drinking a wild dream
such as rat never had before
this the raw stuff
untaxed by rules
out here in the unfenced fields
not much spelling, punctuation,
vocabulary, grammar,
metre, euphony; if Emily
had been a prizefighter
she’d have breathed like this
but drunk, frozen breath steaming in the night air
seated on an old apple box
the stars never were so bright
the heart so near
Dear Michael, A great paean to poetry. Erato is smiling at whatever bar muses hang out. This is beautiful writing in the great traditions of the wandering French poets of the late 19th century. Rimbaud might have written this. Best, Hugh
'raw stuff untaxed by rules' such a great description of the raw emotion shown in this poem...
Put this one in your best of Sheperd, mister Sheperd it wont mean much to you but i find this very pleasing to my ear and eye Your talent shines through like a beacon over a dark sea, if Emily was a prize-fighter is a great piece as is firewater drunk, your talent is truly awsome AJS
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/19/2024 2:55:22 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Well, it'e visiting day at the stadium...and i chose you Michael...and as i scroooooooolledn down your mega-hit parade of literary largess, i slammed the breaks on a dedicational for this dude, FjR...And i see that noy only is he merely a Ghost on this site these days...but that when he was a 24/7 disease on this site, that he didn't even take a moment of his cyber-time to comment on this all too kind gesture by saying ''Thank You '...No wonder he's yesterdays news! Michael, i cannot believe that i missed this....as many times as i have visited your pages over the past 2 years! Well, even 20 months belated is still better than never, yes? Thank You, my good friend, and steadfast supporter of my quest while here at PH.You are indeed the epidome of true social class and literary potentate.Cheers, Michael! Frank/FjR