Grace Notes @ Snarkattack

I’ve been reading heaps lately in an attempt to try and complete the 50 book challenge I joined on aNobii and I’m cutting it really close. I’ve been reading lots of comic book collections and poetry (a very unlikely combination…would you not agree?).

I recently finished Czeslaw Milosz’s A Book of Luminous Things: an international anthology of poetry and was introduced to a fantastic Californian poet called Steve Kowit. Here’s a poem of his called ‘Notice’ - I found it hilarious and every poem of his that was included in the anthology I loved.

Notice

This evening, the sturdy Levi’s
I wore every day for over a year
& which seemed to the end
in perfect condition,
suddenly tore.
How or why I don’t know,
but there it was: a big rip at the crotch.
A month ago my friend Nick
walked off a racquetball court,
showered,
got into this street clothes,
& halfway home collapsed & died.
Take heed, you who read this,
& drop to your knees now & again
like the poet Christopher Smart,
& kiss the earth & be joyful,
& make much of your time,
& be kindly to everyone,
even to those who do not deserve it.
For although you may not believe
it will happen,
you too will one day be gone,
I, whose Levi’s ripped at the crotch
for no reason,
assure you that such is the case.
Pass it on.

I don’t really want to talk about Christmas…I don’t have much to say about it except that it was a remarkable improvement on last year’s one. For one, I actually enjoyed my family’s company! I still don’t like being heavier but perhaps I’ll just have to grin and bear it if it means staying well. Still not really looking forward to New Year’s Eve but I do have some plans.

Oh my goodness! I’m forgetting the most important thing! I wrote a poem yesterday and for once it isn’t confessional! I’m still waiting to hear what my friend M thinks about it…it’s very abstract compared to what I usually write but I did start off life as a poet inspired by imagism, so it’ll be good to return back to that. I do actually wish I wrote more imagist-style poetry…I mean, this whole confessional poetry thing, is, like, soooo Sylvia Plath.

Anyway, I’m confident that the new year will be a better one, who knows I might even be able to get off some of my medication? That would be a treat. Off with me to continue (and hopefully finish) Anne Carson’s Autobiography of Red which I picked up the other day and test some more fragrances.