The hazards are great,
the fords dangerous.
The angels are lying in the filth,
somnolent
in their despair.
Marigolds dot the shore
where the snakes are coiled;
Galileo too, was old
out beyond the wild fields
where tigers roam.
In time the children
will cast it all away
to pay the cost of their dream:
To stretch stars
and make the river glow
"as far as Cho-fo-Sa.."
Author notes
For Rolling Stone, or perhaps because of same.
Quote from, "The River Merchants Wife", Ezra Pound.
Written August 18th, 2005
In a list
What did you think
Comments
1 - 24 of 24
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The words and images you use here are very powerful. I especially liked "the angels lying in their filth" I dont know why but this image really got me. Thank you very much for the entry!
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this one good. -
I like that last stanza myself.
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Very beautifully written.
Great images you have
created.
Wonderful and creative.
Thank you for sharing.
Jeannie D Hunter
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a lovely poem that has much depth and meaning on many different levels. a thought provoking and beautifully worded poem. truly lovely and a joy to read!!
lynn
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nicely done lovely talent
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Wonderful
This is Beautiful.
you have talent.
its Brilliant -
The second stanza is my favorite. As always another wonderful piece from your pen. I've not read much Pounds work, so I will have to go look him up. Thanks for sharing. I'm getting tired it's time for a nap, my mind's all over the place and I can't seem to get this comment typed..
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Beautiful and meaningful poem. I especially like the part about the angels. I really like angels.
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This is an incredible piece you've written! It's very unique. Your word choice is really effective. And your imagery is fantastic. I think you did a really excellent job. Thaks for sharing! And keep the ink flowing :-)
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Nice peice! Great write!
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i find this poem to be simply lovely. an awesome and amazingly written write. you have showed your God giving talent so amazingly in this write. i really enjoyed reading this poem so much so that i read it twice. thanks for sharing such a beautiful write with the world.
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it is sad but so true
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interesting write
i'm not familiar with the quote but am now. so i've learned something
i see beauty and wasted lives in this poem. a future doomed to die because of greed. your words create a good/bad scenario for me. very nicely done
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I'm not familiar with the quote you used, so I'm a bit lost there, but overall I thought this was a good poem. I grew up next to a river and it's an experience I hope one would never have to miss. Your take on the view is interesting and unexpected. I liked that. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for the clue to Pound - I would never have got that reference otherwise, and for drawing attention to such a fine poem. In the version I read www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/70.html
the quote read
As far as Cho-fo-Sa.
I don't understand the significance of changing it to
"as far as cho-fu-sa."
The snakes and tigers brought to mind a jungle by Henri Rousseau. And would I be right to think your Galileo relates to Brecht's?
Anyway, an excellent composition.
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Artfully crafted and well laid out. Great effort.
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Amazing write. Very well written. Good job.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing.
Good luck with all your future writes.
Jeannie D
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Wonderful
I really liked this piece a lot. You never think to look at the world like that. That there is beauty and despair mingled together.
I tend to be all anal when I see some one quote lines from another piece, but I liked how you did it and you gave credit to the original author and used quotes and all. I really respect you for that. I must be honest when I say I have come across people trying to use other's pieces as their own.
Ok, I'm rambling....lol Sorry about that.
But I did like the way you laid this out and I'm hoping that I'm coming away from it with what I think is supposed to be the message. -
i did read that thing he wrote on the natural philosophy of love though .. spermazota oozing from the brain thing ..
its all true. -
Thats the only Pound poem I've ever read. Its so pretty and sad. and pretty. And has the word plums in it. and she wants their dust mixed. Its in an anthology I have .. Good Poems I think. Chinese poetry ..its just so. Right there. I love it. He probably has layers and layers of meaning .. as do you. But why are the angels in filth? I don't like the angels lying in filth.
Marigolds are special. I actually like the name for a child. Marigold. The Indian use them for wedding garlands. And that tiger and snake stuff kinda of makes me think of India.
Galileo might have liked the moon tonight it's full tonight .. Sturgeon..shiny like a fish I guess.
Hope he likes it.
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Wow
Very awesome poem. So descriptive in such a short amount of space. You chose your wordplay wisely and I absolutely enjoyed reading this. Very remarkable...absolutely beautiful!!!! -
Stunning
Wow, very very nice. It is amazing that such a short simple poem can be so full of stunning images and emotion. This one really pulled me in and set my visual mind running wild. I absolutely love this one.
This is my favorite bit. I actually had to stop, and read it again like 4 times because it created such a scene in my mind
"The angels are lying in the filth,
somnolent
in their despair."
This poem shows that you really don't need a lengthy, drawn out poem to create beautiful visuals and emotion. -
Excellent
I just love brevity! I just love great poems! I just love being stunned into a stupor of poetic bliss!
Excellent, sorry for the cliché but I've been struck dumb this afternoon after reading so many superb writes.
sigh
~Dee
Edited on Aug 18, 1:36 p.m. because 'been struck dumb'.
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