Grief is the saddest anger. A friend’s daughter is dead and there’s nothing I can do for either of them. I share this poem selfishly, as is my selfish grief’s wont; I’ve posted a longer poem for both of them on the clippings blog.
WORK
Trying to remember you
is like carrying water
in my hands a long distance
across sand. Somewhere people are waiting.
They have drunk nothing for days.
Your name was the food I lived on;
now my mouth is full of dirt and ash.
To say your name was to be surrounded
by feathers and silk; now, reaching out,
I touch glass and barbed wire.
Your name was the thread connecting my life;
now I am fragments on a tailor’s floor.
I was dancing when I
learned of your death; may
my feet be severed from my body.
—Stephen Dobyns
—from Velocities: New and Selected Poems
WORD
threnody (or threnode) /THREN-oh-dee/. noun. A song of lamentation; a poem of mourning. From the Green threnose (dirge, lament) + oide (ode).
“A mirror sends him into a silent threnody for lost beauty; a handkerchief suggests perfumed memories of amour.” (London Times, 2002)
“Charles Mingus wrote a threnody for Pres, ‘Goodbye, Porkpie Hat.’” (Nat Hentoff)
WEB
A crazy, art house vid of “She’s Gone” made by Daryl Hall & John Oates. And the story behind it.
Next time you are in New Orleans, swing through the Irish Channel and visit NOLA Brewing and The Three Churches…in whatever order makes sense for you.
Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas.
A five-star recipe for Spaghetti and No-Meat Balls.
Today in 1973, Kara Lynn Morgan was born. She brought light.
I welcome comments, suggestions, thoughts, feedback and all manner of what-have-you. Just press ‘Reply’ or email to: clippings@katexic.com.
And please feel free to share anything here as far and wide as you want! If you want to give a shout-out, please link to: http://katexic.com/clippings/.
