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In, On, or About
First American paperbound edition of this book of Paul Blackburn's poetry, in a printing of 2000 copies.
- GenresPoetry
Paperback
First published August 5, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 10, 2019
Begon in ‘In. On. Or About the Premises’ (Cape Goliard Press, 1968) van Paul Blackburn. Hoewel Blackburn nooit het Black Mountain College (1933-1957) bezocht wordt hij wel tot de gelijknamige stroming gerekend. Voor Black Mountain dichters is het gedicht een ontdekkingsreis, een middel tot exploratie. De vorm is een organisch uitvloeisel van het schrijfproces en het taalgebruik is vaak informeel, vertrouwelijk.
HET EILAND
Er staan zes kerels aan de bar
& er zitten zeven kerels aan tafeltjes
nu acht
nu negen
de zestiende gozer is naar het toilet
Matty achter de bar
George achterin.
Er heerst stilte & er worden 2 gesprekken gevoerd
soms 3.
Het is 9 maart, half vier ‘s middags
De ventilator in het raam op het oosten
maakt het meeste lawaai in deze openbare ruimte
of de kat achter me
die slaapt in het zonnetje
verbleekt tafelblad, gouden
fonkeling van bier.
https://tonvanthof.com/2019/01/09/10997/
HET EILAND
Er staan zes kerels aan de bar
& er zitten zeven kerels aan tafeltjes
nu acht
nu negen
de zestiende gozer is naar het toilet
Matty achter de bar
George achterin.
Er heerst stilte & er worden 2 gesprekken gevoerd
soms 3.
Het is 9 maart, half vier ‘s middags
De ventilator in het raam op het oosten
maakt het meeste lawaai in deze openbare ruimte
of de kat achter me
die slaapt in het zonnetje
verbleekt tafelblad, gouden
fonkeling van bier.
https://tonvanthof.com/2019/01/09/10997/
July 30, 2017
I love Paul Blackburn, but this book was a hit and miss for me. It takes about two seconds to read through them, and some resonate with me more than others. I still enjoyed a lot of them, and they very much reflect the beauty (and also the dullness) of 'the everyday.'
The collection is split into two sections — 'The Ale House Poems' and 'The Bakery Poems'.
As Paul Blackburn fans know, his poetry is very fragmented, and it doesn't work so well for me in this collection. Having said this, my favourite of all time is 'Brooklyn Narcissus' and nothing will ever compare!
The collection did inspire me to write some of my own in a coffee shop, influenced by his particular poetic style, which I'm quite pleased with. I should mention that the pages of this smell divine! Historical and full of dusty emotion. Old in scent, but new in effect.
Some of my fave lines:
Ale House section:
The loudest sound in this public room
is the exhaust fan in the east window
or the cat at my back
asleep there in the sun
bleached tabletop, golden
shimmer of ale
-The Island
... lovers
sleep lightly, their hot life away for a while, their
arms, coming out of bar violins, gulls sleep
on the waves
cry at his back
until the door closes. streets wet
the summer rain
-On the Rocks
SUMMER CLOUDS / HIGH AND
SWIFT AGAINST THE HORIZON
or else the snow.
-In Winter
... intention, passive, passion, action
CAMERA, yellow filter for bright sunlight, their eyes
glaze.
They ignore him
-Poor Dog
Why has life put such
a need to talk inside us
when there is nobody to talk to?
-Old Question
Bakery section:
Already wet, we turn our back to the northwind,
feel the whiskey burn.
-Sunflower Rock
Green & cream
the buses,
red & cream, the buses.
black. beige. red & cream
black. beige. red & cream
the cars
uptown.
-This is not the Same as Sharing Anyone Else's Despair
It is not that it does not happen.
It does,
and there is no help for it.
And
there is no end to it,
until there is.
-Pre-Lenten Gestures
The collection is split into two sections — 'The Ale House Poems' and 'The Bakery Poems'.
As Paul Blackburn fans know, his poetry is very fragmented, and it doesn't work so well for me in this collection. Having said this, my favourite of all time is 'Brooklyn Narcissus' and nothing will ever compare!
The collection did inspire me to write some of my own in a coffee shop, influenced by his particular poetic style, which I'm quite pleased with. I should mention that the pages of this smell divine! Historical and full of dusty emotion. Old in scent, but new in effect.
Some of my fave lines:
Ale House section:
The loudest sound in this public room
is the exhaust fan in the east window
or the cat at my back
asleep there in the sun
bleached tabletop, golden
shimmer of ale
-The Island
... lovers
sleep lightly, their hot life away for a while, their
arms, coming out of bar violins, gulls sleep
on the waves
cry at his back
until the door closes. streets wet
the summer rain
-On the Rocks
SUMMER CLOUDS / HIGH AND
SWIFT AGAINST THE HORIZON
or else the snow.
-In Winter
... intention, passive, passion, action
CAMERA, yellow filter for bright sunlight, their eyes
glaze.
They ignore him
-Poor Dog
Why has life put such
a need to talk inside us
when there is nobody to talk to?
-Old Question
Bakery section:
Already wet, we turn our back to the northwind,
feel the whiskey burn.
-Sunflower Rock
Green & cream
the buses,
red & cream, the buses.
black. beige. red & cream
black. beige. red & cream
the cars
uptown.
-This is not the Same as Sharing Anyone Else's Despair
It is not that it does not happen.
It does,
and there is no help for it.
And
there is no end to it,
until there is.
-Pre-Lenten Gestures
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2013
Quite good. But The Journals are much much better. The Journals are excellent!!
March 26, 2015
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13252725
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13252725
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews