Personal Log

[malachi_rta]

Comments

[benedict_rta]

Hart Crane, Black Riders!

[malachi_rta]

The evil and armed draw near;
The weather smells of their hate
And the houses smell of our fear;
Death has opened his white eye
And the black hole calls the thief
As the evil and armed draw near.
Ravens alight on the wall,
Our plans have all gone awry,
The rains will arrive too late,
Our resourceful general
Fell down dead as he drank
And his horses died of grief,
Our navy sailed away and sank;
The evil and armed draw near.

I find the classics so comforting.

[malachi_rta]

(Though I believe you mean Stephen Crane? Unless I'm missing an allusion, which is entirely possible.)

[benedict_rta]

I thought about it for ages, but I have a genuine blind spot there, which I have worked to get rid of and really cannot. I have a qualification in poetry, and I still can't remember!

[malachi_rta]

If it's any reassurance, you've now introduced me to Hart Crane, who I'll be reading up on soon.

[benedict_rta]

Hahahah! Do not, under any circumstances, get me started.

[malachi_rta]

You can't tempt me with poetry commentary like that and then back off. It's just not sporting.

[benedict_rta]

So, one conversation later...

How are you feeling?

[malachi_rta]

I have a longer reading list than before we spoke. I think that's an excellent sign.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go read some Ezra Pound.

[deirdre_rta]

You do? My first degree was in English Literature, carefully managed so that I avoided as much poetry as possible. While I love prose, my poetry appreciation skills are right up there with the Vogons.