07-25-2020, 08:00 AM
Well, to me, the fold in this poem screams “vagina.” I’m surprised that interpretation hasn’t come up yet, especially because of the way it links the first line to the last, because the sorrow escaped from a joy seems like a clear reference to sex. I take it from your last comment that I am not incorrect and then it’s just a question of how far the innuendo goes. But more on this in a moment. I really like this last line: it has a classic elegance to it, like I’m not reading a contemporary poem. (This effect is reinforced by the use of “me” in the title, it sounds like dialect to me as well.) The result of the momentarily pleasure of sex leads to a complex series or cellular folds and the child is born to a more difficult life beyond the womb. It’s beautifully stated. The poem kind of becomes a series of infinite folds in and of itself.
Speaking of sexual references, let’s not forget the potential double entendre of bone and the animal portion of the title.
The only thing that gives me pause is the use of Greek. It does indeed risk inaccessibility or pretension. Clearly you are going for a certain tone here and it’s not informal or contemporary. So you might as well not apologize for the Greek. I’ll admit though that for me personally, it’s indecipherable...so there’s a question there of what you want to do and who you want along with you for the ride. As it is, you’re looking at a pretty select group that will be a able to read it. You could consider splitting the difference and using the romanized transliteration so we could better riddle out the meaning since most people with a secondary education know enough Greek roots to get by if it’s written in Latin letters.
Again, I think the poem is extremely well executed and a beautiful read. Thank you for posting.
Speaking of sexual references, let’s not forget the potential double entendre of bone and the animal portion of the title.
The only thing that gives me pause is the use of Greek. It does indeed risk inaccessibility or pretension. Clearly you are going for a certain tone here and it’s not informal or contemporary. So you might as well not apologize for the Greek. I’ll admit though that for me personally, it’s indecipherable...so there’s a question there of what you want to do and who you want along with you for the ride. As it is, you’re looking at a pretty select group that will be a able to read it. You could consider splitting the difference and using the romanized transliteration so we could better riddle out the meaning since most people with a secondary education know enough Greek roots to get by if it’s written in Latin letters.
Again, I think the poem is extremely well executed and a beautiful read. Thank you for posting.
(07-16-2020, 05:52 AM)Exit Wrote: Me Animal Soul
We’re born from a fold,
of infinite folds—
pleats of ειδoς and υλη.
Born to bones, and
expressions of bones,
into a sorrow escaped from a joy.