In celebration of
National Poetry Month, Robert Pinsky
appeared on The Colbert Report, taking the opportunity to plug his poem "Samurai Song", which Colbert wanted to make "the #1 poem in America." I'm doing my part. You might also want to watch the video of his appearance, which is a fierce, competitive metaphor-off between Colbert and
Sean Penn.
Samurai Song
(Robert Pinsky)
When I had no roof I made
Audacity my roof. When I had
No supper my eyes dined.
When I had no eyes I listened.
When I had no ears I thought.
When I had no thought I waited.
When I had no father I made
Care my father. When I had
No mother I embraced order.
When I had no friend I made
Quiet my friend. When I had no
Enemy I opposed my body.
When I had no temple I made
My voice my temple. I have
No priest, my tongue is my choir.
When I have no means fortune
Is my means. When I have
Nothing, death will be my fortune.
Need is my tactic, detachment
Is my strategy. When I had
No lover I courted my sleep.
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4 comments:
That dood had some pretty deep set eyes.
That is all I know.
Seems the poem is a celebration of "I". Having been crested the wave and in turn swamped by it, I am more reminded of my finitity. Can mere I stand before the storm and repel the lightning?
But a well constructed unit with lots of depth...
Oh, but be fair Carl. If this poem is going to reach #1 it's going to have to knock "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" off the top rung...which is also very "I" focused...
"But I have promises to keep,
and miles to go before I sleep..."
;-)
Aye, me friend. *L* But it's snowing... *L*
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