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Thursday 31 May 2018

Villanelles vanquished

A man's a man for a'that. Don Patterson, poet and wit
I came very late to poetry, within the duration of this blog. Others – Joe Hyam, Lucy – encouraged me and now I seek out poetry, but in a timid way, conscious I carry L-plates and always will.

Don Paterson is a well-regarded British poet (Queen’s Medal) though I was unaware of this. At Hay Festival he offered: What is a Poem? I had just endured a dull hour on education, never a good idea for someone whose education “never took”. I needed reviving.

Paterson stepped up to the lectern and peered into the dark auditorium. In a thick Scottish accent he said, “Ye might all as well be a set of Great Auks.” Astounded, I laughed out aloud. Others were more tentative. But within a few minutes laughter was our common coin and I curse myself for not taking notes.

Especially when he damned the villanelle, a tortuously complex verse form (And yes, Paterson and I know all about “Do not go gentle...”). Under guidance I wrote a VILLANELLE some years ago and determined never to write another. Patterson was my man.

As well as jokes he also uttered this: “Prose evokes: the well-chosen word describes the thing as if it were present. But poetry persists in its attempt to invoke, to call down its subject from above, as if there were no ‘as if’ at all.” And much more.

I picked up Paterson’s new 732-page book, The Poem. Lyric, Sign, Metre, handsomely priced at £25, and joined the signing queue. I mentioned to him I was done with villanelles and he had justified my decision. He wrote: “To Roderick. Glad to sanctify your purging. Don Paterson.”

Leaving I said, “And thanks for proving poets can be serious without being solemn.” He roared Scottishly and was, I think, pleased.

7 comments:

  1. "...poetry persists in its attempt to invoke, to call down its subject from above, as if there were no ‘as if’ at all.” Well, that made me sit up and think. I'm happy you had a few moments with this man. I am also happy, but not surprised, that you made him laugh.

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  2. Colette: Explaining what a poem is - should be - a no-no. Why else write the poem? But Patterson approaches poetry elliptically, ambushing readers in language that is inevitably difficult yet remains prose. Never "poetic prose" that dreadful hybrid. For me he succeeds in a way others (even Auden) don't.

    The fact that he made me laugh was a huge bonus. The audience was full of people who loved and knew poetry and were initially worried that laughter wasn't quite the thing. Quickly they lost their inhibitions and at the end the applause was thunderous.

    I was glad - privileged - to be there, the veriest amateur. Standing in the signing queue I fell into conversation with an American (some sort of environmental engineer), so restrained he might have been been a Brit. Quoting reams of poetry in an urgent whispering voice. Me, part of a bloody brotherhood!

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  3. Hey - on Sabine's wonderful blog you accused us Americans of turning peep into peek. Oxford English Dictionary lists peek as "Late Middle English pike, pyke, of unknown origin." Late Middle English is too early for us Americans to bear responsibility. LME is influenced by Norman French, tho. I think you're going to have to blame the French for this one, Robbie! Looking forward to your proving me wrong.

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  4. Colette: Here's my response to Sabine; the sentiments could be equally directed towards you.

    To my knowledge "peep-a-boo" doesn't exist (in English English) whereas "peek-a-boo" does exist. More fool me for not properly researching the subject. I am delighted to be proved wrong in my supposition - it was no more - and that you are historically justified in your peeking. On reflection I would have hated to be proved right, your prose is far too good to carry such a slur, however "incidental". It's a privilege to exchange thoughts with you.

    The best compliment anyone ever paid me was to introduce me as an auto-didact to a group of high-level national newspaper journalists, but there are risks in dropping out from formal education aged 15 years and 50 weeks. I have taught myself vocabulary, grammar and syntax as "need to know" which means I've not bothered with less interesting, more rigorous stuff. As a result there are holes in my appreciation of my native language. In this case I thought "winging it" was acceptable. It wasn't. You are both right and I am happy to make whatever amends are necessary.

    Exit, somewhat raggedy-arsed, pursued by two bears.

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  5. Hey, that's an enticing look at the man! I like the snips of talk and your exchange.

    How's the book going? Like it as well?

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  6. Marly: Re. his 732-page book, a friend e-mailed me:

    Did you see Carol Ann Duffy yesterday in Review section on Don Paterson's book? "Reading it, your estimation of your own IQ incrementally diminishes."

    My reply: VR brought my attention to it. I am hoping for a lengthy period of tranquillity – this side of the grave – to become habituated to its wisdom. R.

    I'm a great fan of Duffy. Two or three years ago, receiving her collection, Rapture, as a birthday present from VR helped me over various hurdles that had left me indifferent to poetry during the first seventy-five years of my lifespan. I think CAD's being over-modest. Paterson's style is dense but not obscure; best of all it's not airy-fairy. Nor is it that hideous hybrid, poetic prose. I see it as a winter book but I'll need time (not guaranteed) and increased powers of concentration (on the wane).

    But people from the West Riding don't fork out £25 not to read a book.

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