Hear it realised as a sound poem here.
Film to follow:
An autumn leaf detaches itself from a tree and Falls. On it is some writing - a suicide note. The performer catches it in his hand.
The performer holds an antique magazine issue of Dante's inferno (vol 1 of 36, publ. 1903) with a burnt-brown cover. He is wearing shades and removes them during the Dis-tinted spectacles verse, only to restore them before the end. He indicates his heart on "This Not (knot) only love dares to tease undone." A modern take on Dante at the mouth of hell.
Now was the day departing, and the air
Embrown’d with shadows… (Inferno)
As fall off the light autumnal leaves
One still another following, till the bough
Strews all its honours on the earth beneath
E'en in like manner Adam's evil brood
Cast themselves, one by one, down from the shore
Each at a beck as falcon at his call. (Inferno)
The night train West voids a soiled brown note and leaves the downfall station;
Goodbye Cruel World - I trust you receive THIS communication.
The Zoo-break heart-freeze sin-beasts of Dante shadow the Circle Line,
Paddle up shit creeks out in the Styx to Dis-on-Vacation.
Spine-chilling out dark half glasses of Daily Hell, Bank Holiday
Messiahs Dis-May my heart; Dis Troy, dim Dante’s Vision.
God save me from my Dis-tinted spectacles’ bewitching
Bewildering shadows of Dis-appointment Dis-guised as Eden.
God save me from Dis-consolation Discourse, Fifty Shades
Of Grave; the pinched shrill of Avant-God; this don't know 'Who' we are from Adam.
The name is Bond. Adam in a Bond. The Actor Who Can't Go On.
Wash off this Who-do, not dis, not dis, this suicide mission.
Hell isn’t other people…….It’s ourselves, our self-fulfilling
Cock-up conspiracy clouds; our I-land’s alien nation.
Marx says to do is to be; Sartre to be is to do, Sinatra
Do be do be do this ‘Not’ only Love dares to tease undone.
Who to do or not to do? to be or not to be? Who’s that
At the tunnel’s end? Death. I embrace your oblivion.
A bard on the wire, a voice in the wilderness, a home page for exiles trying to get home. Everybody is an exile. Maybe artists just realise it. "Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir, I have tried, in my way, to be free."
Pages
- The Meanings of Christmas (EDP feature)
- Doin' Different
- Blog
- Perspectives on Literary and Linguistic Theory Part 2 Linguistic Theory
- Boudicca Britain's Dreaming
- Perspectives in Literary and Linguistic Theory Part 1. Critical Theory.
- Poem of the Month 2016-2020
- Tom and Harry
- Margery Kempe
- Doin’ different. (my 8th poetry collection) Poppyland Press 2015
- Exile in his Own Country (my 7th poetry collection) Bluechrome, 2006
- The Merchant of Bristol (my 4th poetry collection)...
- Britain's Dreaming (my 3rd poetry collection) - Fr...
- Boudicca
- Poem of the Month 2007-2015
- A Job To Remember
- The Merchant of Lynn's Tale
- A Robin Hood Lesson
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