Waking Yeats

revised and satisfied

Waking Yeats, late 

life’s lament of no where to go, 

no country for old men … 

Byzantium always read 

more like an antiquarian’s archaic ache 

than good-natured warning to youth 

to seize the day before the day seized them.

All his dying generations, decaying 

bodies, monuments to a vanquished age 

seemed little more than ivoried regrets 

of a towering light coming to sense 

the vatic pronouncement of a wick’s tapering.

While I had little knowledge of time yet, 

the ways roads stuttered, ran down 

shades in anticipation of an ember’s 

extinguishing spark -- I thought 

my self, if not infinite, near enough 

I needn’t fret an hour mulling over 

Marvell’s compelling argument for 

Dryden Pope in preparation to Stearns 

fractured revisions of the vulgar Florentine’s 

comic broncio. Brooding over a line’s 

elliptic function, which I 

dotted dogma, broke from the divine image 

soldered my senses to language, how 

a tongue teased, preferred naked

tits to dressed embellishments. 

Old men clinging to telling the world 

how lost they’d become, no longer welcome 

at home, seemed all the sadder 

for want of any purpose I could discern 

for sailing. Scraping the barrel’s bottom, 

Will’s wail, rang hollow. A sentimentality 

echoing far from the punt’s run 

of the new age rebels. So, now 

I’ve nothing to read on the journey to Constantinople. 

Ken e Bujold

Author's Note

Part of a longer work in progress, hence the temporary title. The final piece will be a suite of 3 interconnected poems dealing with the Irish 3: Yeats, Heaney, and Kavanagh. The others are still a little balky. As each is of itself structured around one of the 3, they can stand on their own (or so I hope, hence this post). So let's see.

Key to this poem, is Yeats "Sailing to Byzantium"

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

Like Bob Herrick wrote, "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may..." But what can I say, "I am old, I am old, I shall wear my trousers rolled and walk along the beach. Do I dare to eat a peach? I have heard the mermaids singing each to each. I do not think that they will sing for me." Well, at least T.S. and I can walk along the beach and not give a crap about the mermaids or whether their tits are showing. (laughing) Seriously, I enjoyed reading this. But we must find you a book to read on your journey to Constantinople. How about the Adventures of Marco Polo. I hear he's very big around the pool. Cheers from the Appalachians.

[Ken e Bujold]

Thank you F. For grand review, quote of Herrick, and offer of a book. Sadly, while I can enjoy Herrick, I must forgo the book. My dear wife is already plotting a bonfire (books or me, I'm not sure) and so another tome might just be the tipping point

ken

[FGFRANKLIN]

I have the same problem with both books and DVDs. I generally get rid of the books after awhile...though some classics I keep for my library. I like paperbacks because of their traveling style. I share mine with friends and vice versa. I'd throw out the DVDs except most of them are my kid's. I gave two away last week. I have three guitars and can only play one at a time...but I digress in my address. Ditto, I mean. ;)

[Ken e Bujold]

my book collection isnt going anywhere before i do. mostly hard cover, plenty of pricey 1st editions from all eras, roughly 6000 in total. So you can see why she might be a tad concerned about me adding unsolicited tomes to the shelves LOL

[FGFRANKLIN]

I completely understand. "I cannot live without books." Thomas Jefferson I know just how old Tom felt. But so few people had books or access to them back then. Today, we have the internet library where we can read almost any book online free of charge or even have it read to us while we work on dinner in the kitchen. (I've done that I confess.) But my favorite quote on books comes from master of the macabre, Stephen King, "Books are a unique form of portable magic."

[Ken e Bujold]

They are indeed. And while I aslo avail myself of the net's unlimited resources, nothing will ever replace for me the magic of bringing something to mind, and then drifting to my shelves to call it back from the mists. While I don't have the gift of reciting word by word from memory, I do have what i consider a much greater gift: an innate ability to remember some line or theme ever so vaguely and within a short period hunt it down to volume and almost always within a page or two exactly what it is i want

[JessyJacob]

Hi Ken, the reference to Byzantium, striked me am I old. I am
Being the old, every where I went I had to see myself old, I joined MS after few yrs of Bachelors there all were my juniors I was like too old even though I was in mid 20s, and in my family I was too old to get married since the age of getting married was early 20s, and again I was ready to get married I was in end 20s felt like old with my Roomate’s in Houston. Now, in my early 40s, people say I am unfit for 2nd wedding and making me to think am I done with life?! When did I lived my life thinking I enjoyed my age without getting any comments. The subject of study and true love was always inspiring me to take decisions at any age of my life to study or love and the kids love never made me to get that fitness people lack in 40s. I just remembered my social studies in school days with your reference to Byzantium. It’s fine you were the first brother who made me to think I am younger to someone. I had always longed for elder brothers their affection is always I missed I never had in my family tree and only I had with surname of my family with cousins of grandparents and it’s wasn’t that close relationship. Thank you so much. I wish you give your inputs in writing as it makes sense and caring for everyone.

[Ken Simm.]

Learned, intelligent and witty in am Irish way. Just like your subject. This led me gently in and covered me with the concept, the subject and the manner of writing. You have done your present subject proud my friend. And presented his writing on age with aplomb and sensitivity.

[Betty Hermelee]

No matter the age, aging doesn’t mean you can’t sail with Yeats….you speak a lot about how lost the aging man becomes…” no country for ol men” although there is always some stimulation….I must read some of these poets to get acquainted with their style….I love your writing style, even though I must look up some words, but it’s a good learning experience….warmly, B

[Ken e Bujold]

Sailing to Byzantium was one of WB Yeats last major works. Is a poem about aging, being at the mercy of time's tyranny. I first read it in the early 80s in U. As the intro to this suggests, I wasn't all that drawn to it then. Who would be at 20 reading about old men with no country to call home (as in being at odds with their youthful competitors). Over time though I have grown to love Yeats. This poem is the opening to a 3 part suite. Yeats leads off as he was the 1st of the 3 great 20th century Irish poets. HIs age/my youth to be followed by Heaney's awakening of my senses to ancient themes (maturity) to finish with Kavanagh who undoubtedly for my money wrote the best pastoral poem of any Irishman "The Hunger" which will backstop my own growing greyness and looking back to youth in closing the circle to Yeats.

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you so much for the explanation….it’s quite a feat you are working on…. Congrats!
Warmly, B

[Coyote Poetry]

Yes Ken. Us, old men never give up. We keep seeking and thank you for sharing the amazing poetry. The ancient poets words keep us searching.
Coyote

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks John. And yes the wheel will always turn

[W. Barrett Munn]

Anyone who can rhyme naked tits with embellishments must surely be a relative of Yeats. Your mastery of language continues to amaze me along with your inventiveness.

Winston

[Ken e Bujold]

in a moment of inspiration: clarity! how to define EP and Eliot and the imagists in a clear delineation from WB and the Georgians.

each of the three is a tribute to the particular writer, so shades their work, but as i noted: all three hang on the same wall as a tapestry to the Irish pastoralist traditions. Real moment of awakening though was when i realized the way into whole poem and Yeats section was through one of his last great works Sailing to Byzantium. Allows me to thread the needle so to speak: my youthful fascination with the imagists through my maturation and Heaney's straddling of old/new to Kavanagh and my late in life appreciation for his mastery of form when every one else around was chucking it over the side.

[W. Barrett Munn]

I began this quest late in life and so searched for mentors, finding the books of James Longenbach. He writes a lot about form insomuch as establishing an expectation that is then fulfilled and unfulfilled, creating a tension that creates a pleasure to the reader. I’ve been trying to keep form in mind as I sit each day.

[Ken e Bujold]

for myself the various forms have been grafted into my senses for so long they are like blood cells, just there. I can see though how coming late to the banquet could be a little intimidating. Whereas I labored through the period of forced structure at a young age, when one is keen to master and move on and doesn't really give a damn about breaking the house rules. I did learn the lessons though. Can if you put a gun to my head write you a very passing Marvellian sonnet. Or a blakean ode. You would need that gun though, because my brain doesn't do flowers well :) The only real advantage of that early training is that I am more aware than you of when I am breaking a particular rule and how to mask it or make it seem inconsequential to the rest of the poem. But take heart, you are getting there. Truthfully, in the year I have know you I have watched you grow ever more adventurous in terms of how you attack your themes and shape them to your will.

ken

[W. Barrett Munn]

Curiously, I do not begin with a theme but perhaps I should. Invariably, the start is a line or a phrase that I follow to find out where I go.

[Ken e Bujold]

I collect lines as well, notebooks full of them. opening/middle/end ... but i also work thematically. any idea i have will be filed in several places so when I go to the well there is plenty of resources to draw from. By the end they may or may not make the last cut, and most likely will have been shaved and diced. The advantage to this style is that you are not always at the mercy of inspiration. as lines, half lines, phrases pile up they eventually begin to cohabitate.

[W. Barrett Munn]

I think that is the grand method that is the heart and soul of it. I am still early in that process and initially followed the advice of Mary Oliver to make yourself available at the same time each day. I figured a Nobel Prize winner knew more than I about writing poetry, as I knew almost nothing but Poe and a little Frost and a little Sandburg and The Village Blacksmith.

[Ken e Bujold]

and the village blacksmith is/was quite likely to teach you the most

[W. Barrett Munn]

It is power packed actually.

[Ken e Bujold]

My father was a teamster. don't know, highly doubt, he ever read a poem in his life. Grade 6 education, but one of the wisest men I have ever known. While my vocab is obviously a penthouse away from his, his everyday cadence is very much at the core of my work. He took me honey mixed with just the right amount of vinegar is a catch all elixir. Too sweet makes people sick, too tart turns them off, but mixed in proper amounts everyone keeps coming back. Bears, bees, truckers, tramps and theives