Ali, thanks for this, what a fascinating and beautiful piece, really enjoyed reading that.
Ali, thanks for this, what a fascinating and beautiful piece, really enjoyed reading that.
Now that is what I wish I'd said! Nice one Freckle. I totally agree with you. Mossy's poem is brilliant.
Originally Posted by freckle
Great, thanks Ali, I'm just off to get my copy so I'll look forward to that.
I've been thinking a lot about love and also about dust (after hearing a programme on the radio about an artist who's work is about dust)...who'd have thought that there would be a poem about the two!
Dust
It seems we've left skin
in each other's lungs. I should have
looked under your bed skirt
for my wallet, but how
could credit cards compare
to the sneeze after we've parted?
Gone and still you make me
reach for a tissue—still my palms
turn circles in the red
breakwater of your heartbeat.
I want to tell you, I have nothing
but respect for your ribcage
now that we both know
it's not big enough to hold us.
Michael Meyerhofer
That's a lovely thought and a lovely poem to go with it. I like the idea of picking two completely random words and finding a poem to join the two.I've been thinking a lot about love and also about dust (after hearing a programme on the radio about an artist who's work is about dust)...who'd have thought that there would be a poem about the two!
Dust
It seems we've left skin
in each other's lungs. I should have
looked under your bed skirt
for my wallet, but how
could credit cards compare
to the sneeze after we've parted?
Gone and still you make me
reach for a tissue—still my palms
turn circles in the red
breakwater of your heartbeat.
I want to tell you, I have nothing
but respect for your ribcage
now that we both know
it's not big enough to hold us.
Michael Meyerhofer
Any suggestions anyone?
Open University 40th Anniversary Poem
OU, we owe you
everybody wants to know you
even those who used to doubt you
can’t speak well enough about you
they say: your founders were fearless
your students are tireless
your tutors are peerless
your media wireless
you’re the College of the Air
your reception’s everywhere
a twinkle in J C Stobart’s eye
that Michael Young could not let lie
that Jennie Lee tenaciously
made manifest reality
they’d an inkling lower income
doesn’t lead to slower thinking
so now some of us are inching
by degrees towards degrees
OU, we owe you:
the never-quite-made-it or told-they-were stupid
the started-but-faded or sidetracked-by-cupid
the just-need-encouragement, gluttons-for-nourishment
the people whose talent was far too well-hidden
the told-that-we-couldn’t-or-shouldn’t-so-didn’t
the course-interrupted, the quite-frankly-corrupted
deep knowledge questers, bereft empty-nesters,
bright-eyed early-risers, complete self-surprisers
…who now all have fuller foreheads
a more complex frontal cortex
for nourishing our neurons
OU, we owe you
in time that’s borrowed, bought and stolen
schedules staggered, bent and swollen
time that’s snatched & time that’s smuggled
every minute of it juggled
we give up bingo, daytime telly
computer games and social drinking
to read Bronte Proust and Shelley
stay at home and do binge-thinking
every sacrifice worth making
now we’re swapping sleep for waking
waking up to our potential
to explore worlds once forbidden us
– it’s why on the residential
things can get a bit libidinous –
for being so inspiring
that you get our neurons firing
and spontaneously re-wiring
OU, we owe you
the wide-eyed wonder-graduate
the famished hunger-graduate…
jotting reading and absorbing
finding empty hours and tables
sending subtle signs to strangers
‘don’t disturb me I am dangerous
I have got a little learning…’
…and it’s not just about earning
though yes, we’re more employable
but when we go out on the pull
we talk a better class of bull
and if we’re not successful
we are much more philosophical
for nourishing our neurons
buffing up our self-assurance
and for being so inspiring
that you get our neurons firing
and spontaneously re-wiring
OU, we owe you
and OU here’s hoping
you always stay Open
for your enterprise is noble
and expanded frontal lobal
may your outreach programme snowball
from Chernobyl down to Yeovil
from Shanghai to Sampford Peverell
may your future now be global
and may some of your post-graduates
win prizes that are Nobel
if a university could get an honorary degree
you wouldn’t get one
– you’d get several
OU, BSc, BA Hons, Phd
we raise a half-full glass to you
from every social class to you
say ‘may the gods look after you’
and
OU, we owe you
Happy Anniversary*
(*now can I have a bursary?)
Matt Harvey
Matt Harvey wrote my favourite children's book. "Shopping with Dad". I've just found out he writes poetry too. That was from his Wondermentalist website.
Oh well spotted Harry - I really enjoyed reading the article. Many thanks.
Am Yisrael Chai
I've been thinking a lot about love and also about dust (after hearing a programme on the radio about an artist who's work is about dust)...who'd have thought that there would be a poem about the two!
Dust
It seems we've left skin
in each other's lungs. I should have
looked under your bed skirt
for my wallet, but how
could credit cards compare
to the sneeze after we've parted?
Gone and still you make me
reach for a tissue—still my palms
turn circles in the red
breakwater of your heartbeat.
I want to tell you, I have nothing
but respect for your ribcage
now that we both know
it's not big enough to hold us.
Michael Meyerhofer
Another great find Hes - thanks. Just googled him and found this too..
Death, the First Time
I was seven, running across the ice
when I slipped and cracked my skull,
blood bursting like crimson novas
on the sidewalk while I dangled
from the frantic arms of a nun
sprinting towards the principal’s office.
They asked later if it hurt—the frosty
bite, the whole world flipped on its side,
then the long needle, the doctor’s
masked face and careful stitching,
searching for a face I recognized. I lied
as all boys must and said it didn’t, that
I did not cry fat tears when pain set in.
Nor did I mention that first moment,
weirdly quiet, when I got back up
and rejoined the end-of-recess line
just a little stunned, a strange
giddiness as within me something
began to rise, untangling its ancient
coils and lifting off the deep towards
the fresh bright crack,
the cerulean field and just above:
home, the gates wide open.
Michael Meyerhofer
Am Yisrael Chai
I never thought of googling him but am really glad that you did Mossy, this is great!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
