Three things… #5 – Revolutionary humour – plus swathes of poetry
February 12, 2019
Uncategorized adrienne rich, anne sexton, asj tessimond, elizabeth bishop, french revolution, mark steel, soviet poets 21 Comments
It’s a little while (October, actually) since I had a go at the “Three Things” meme created by Paula at Book Jotter (this is where we post things we are reading, looking (at) and thinking). However, I found myself pondering on poetry as well as serendipitous book finds so I thought it was time for another…
Reading
I’m currently deeply involved in this chance find from the Oxfam which I posted about recently. Mark Steel is a left-wing comedian and the book is his take on the French Revolution. It’s absolutely brilliant so far, combining wit and history in a very winning way. A fuller post will follow!
Looking (at)
Not at lot in terms of programmes – we still seem to be suffering from documentary drought though I have high hopes that this will improve soon! 😉 Meantime, I spend far too much time watching arty/crafty videos on YouTube when I should be reading (but am frankly too tired). And anything with the Scottish countryside in it…. I *have* come across any number of wonderful examples of women’s art on Twitter too, proving that you *can* find good things on social media platforms…
Thinking
Yes. I have been pondering on poetry a lot lately. I picked up another interesting slim volume from Salt recently. Then there was the Elizabeth Bishop collection. And last week saw three more poetry volumes sneaking in – these are they:
As usual with me and books, there is a *reason* for each of these making their way into the Ramblings. The Soviet Poets was sitting looking at me in the Oxfam on Saturday (I tend to find myself at the poetry shelves first nowadays) and it had *me* written all over it. It’s one of those Progress Press USSR editions which I sort of hoover up if I come across them; it’s a bilingual edition and I’m hoping to discover new Russian poets.
As for the Adrienne Rich, she’s a name I’ve always been aware of and much like Elizabeth Bishop suddenly kept appearing in my sight line. I ordered a cheap copy online and was let down by the reseller; so in a fit of grumpiness I sent for a shiny new Norton Critical Edition with poetry and prose, hoping this will be a good Rich primer. I think this may be my first Norton Critical Edition and it’s awfully pretty – I mean, on a superficial level, isn’t that cover gorgeous????
Then there’s Mr. Tessimond, and thereby hangs a tale. As far as I’m aware I’ve never heard of him before. However, I stumbled across mention of his poem One Almost Might whilst doing some non-poetic research and when I checked it out online was a bit blown away. A little digging revealed an obscure but intriguing life and a collected volume which now resides at the Ramblings. Strangely when I opened the book at random the first poem I came to seemed oddly familiar, so maybe I have read him in the past…
So there are increasing amounts of poetry infecting the Ramblings, and I particularly seem to be encountering female poets – maybe they resonate with me more strongly? Certainly I have the substantial collections above sitting there looking appealing, but I keep wondering whether I should be exploring the work of Marianne Moore, or maybe Mary Oliver – they keep hitting my eye line too. I do find myself drawn more than ever to poetry nowadays; it seems to be touching me more deeply than other forms of writing, perhaps as a response to the unsettling and often unpleasant times we live in. Even when I opened up the huge but lovely Primo Levi box set recently it was his poetry which was calling. So if nothing else, at least I can feel that I’m well stocked for the rest of my life with collections of verse…. 😁
Previous “Three Things” memes:
Feb 12, 2019 @ 08:54:50
To watch – can I recommend Edie starringSheila Hancock. Set in Highlands
Feb 12, 2019 @ 10:57:22
Sounds good, especially if it’s got lots of lovely Highland scenery! 😀
Feb 12, 2019 @ 08:58:42
That Adrienne Rich is beeeeyoutiful! But the Elizabeth Bishop’s a bit of a chunkster, isn’t it!
Feb 12, 2019 @ 10:57:45
It’s a gorgeous cover, isn’t it? And yes, the Bishop is vaguely daunting, but I hope to dip…
Feb 12, 2019 @ 10:31:20
YESSSS to the Adrienne Rich – enjoy! And I agree; I feel so drawn to poetry at the moment. It’s a bit unnerving but worth leaning into – particular poems keep hitting me between the eyes.
Feb 12, 2019 @ 10:58:19
😀 I’m definitely looking forward to it. And that’s spot on – poetry keeps definitely whacking me lately, I must be in a particularly responsive mood!
Feb 12, 2019 @ 10:37:33
That is a hefty Elizabeth Bishop book – and I thought my copy of her poetry collection was big enough! Glad to hear of your current love of poetry. I think it helps make sense of (or at least reconcile us to) a world gone mad.
Feb 12, 2019 @ 10:59:01
It’s chunky, isn’t it? But very appealing…. And yes, poetry really is getting to me at the moment. Reminding me of the beauty of things (and words) maybe, which is kind of helping me to keep sane…
Feb 12, 2019 @ 14:05:09
I’m enjoying this series of yours. Makes an interesting change
Feb 12, 2019 @ 14:18:30
Thanks Simon! Sometimes it’s nice to have a ramble about books and things generally! 😀
Feb 12, 2019 @ 16:35:33
I’m a sucker for Norton Critical Editions, my shelves are packed with them, so I’m very glad that your fit of grumpiness prompted you to buy this beauty ! I’m feeling a bit grumpy too, all of a sudden…
Feb 12, 2019 @ 18:08:58
LOL! Go buy it! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Feb 12, 2019 @ 16:55:29
That is definitely a lot of poetry. The Adreienne Rich does look like a nice edition but gosh how huge is the Eliza Bishop? I think you’re right, there’s enough there to last years. It’s comforting to have beautiful books to dip in and out of.
Feb 12, 2019 @ 18:08:34
It *is* a lot of poetry, yes. But I remind myself it’s dippable so I try not to get overwhelmed! 🤣
Feb 12, 2019 @ 19:31:13
Now that cover (the Adrienne Rich) is stunning. Makes you wish you could somehow get inside it, and explore its world – which, of course, is exactly what you are doing by reading the poems! Clever artist, it’s a cover which makes you think and feel a lot I think
Feb 12, 2019 @ 19:42:26
It *is* absolutely gorgeous – and even if I hadn’t know anything about the book or wanted it, it’s the kind of cover that would draw you to investigate! 😀
Feb 12, 2019 @ 20:32:34
I do love Elizabeth Bishop’s poetry. She was a favourite of Seamus Heaney which is why I started reading her work.
Feb 12, 2019 @ 20:43:07
Oh, I didn’t know that – how interesting! Bishop just seems to keep popping up, and I love the bits i’ve seen, so I can’t wait to explore! 😀
Feb 17, 2019 @ 15:53:12
Norton Critical Editions are great, and that one’s a beauty! I often find women’s art on twitter too, it’s a surprising source 🙂
Feb 17, 2019 @ 16:00:34
It *is* awfully lovely – I’m trying to resist the temptating to type Norton Critical into the nearest online selling emporium and go a bit mad…. And yes, I’ve come across some absolutely wonderful women’s art on Twitter – just shows it has its uses…. ;D
May 12, 2019 @ 14:59:34