"Seven bums and fourteen legs,
a brazen ecstasy which begs
the question some of us are asking -
is Peter Goulding multi-tasking?"

Martin Parker, Editor, Lighten Up Online

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Getting on the bus, Gus

The highly accomplished Niamh Bagnell - radio presenter, poet, performer, gardener etc - is running this week's poetry bus excursion this week and who knows where we'll end up. The task this week is to write about confusion, or write something confusing. This is my poor effort. Please don't expect a punchline because there isn't one.

Confusion

Sometimes I wake.
Sometimes I keep on dreaming.
At times it seems I'm halfway in between.
It's hard to break
my sweet subconscious streaming
where all things are and all things might have been.

When I'm adrift
and floating, lost and aimless,
confusion melts like dewdrops on the grass.
There is no rift
between the named and nameless,
between the past and what is yet to pass.

And when grey light
through neutral blinds come streaming,
the mist outside this building thick and dense,
I crave the night
and hours of blissful dreaming
where everything appears to make such sense.

Clicka on da linka above for more confusion

17 comments:

  1. This is such deceptive piece it feel soft and gentle but has such a deepness, such reach...

    "At times it seems I'm halfway in between"

    This is such a great line it really does express to me confusion in such an understated manner.

    "I crave the night
    and hours of blissful dreaming
    where everything appears to make such sense."

    Just so having only experienced this vicariously watching a loved one strugle this is spot on.

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  2. Your writing has caused me to reflect on my mother and the Alzheimer's she struggled with during the last years of her life. You have quite beautifully described what may have been what she was seeking during the dark nights.

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  3. I like this Pete.Some lovely lines.The rhymes are gentle and soothing.It's thoughtful reflective and refreshing.And in some ways it does have a punchline, if not a funny one.It's a GOAL!

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  4. There was too a punchline! I like the structure of this, very subtle. A most enjopyable read.

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  5. I've had times in my life where I just craved sleep and dreams. Of course, afterward I realized that I had been going through a depression. This poem describes that feeling of drifting along and encountering random dreams perfectly.

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  6. Hi Peter,
    There is an effortless flow and sense of form here. I love these lines - 'There is no rift
    between the named and nameless,
    between the past and what is yet to pass.' That is a really beautiful finish to that stanza.

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  7. "my sweet subconscious streaming
    where all things are and all things might have been"--true to every word. Subconscious mind has all the answers.Sometimes a sound sleep gives those answers through a dream. Perfectly captured!!

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  8. my sweet subconscious streaming
    where all things are and all things might have been. Subconscious mind has all the answers.

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  9. This is beautiful, Peter, and I agree with Gwei Mui - deceptive; the ease and flow conceal such depth. Loved it, wonderful structure, word choice and rhyme.

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  10. I like this, there's a really strong yet effortless looking structure to it, and i enjoy the sentiment, the place where everything makes sense. Nice one

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  11. this is a really touching poem, and I love the rhythm, the rhyme, the dreamy pace.. don't know how you could call this a 'poor' effort, lol!

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  12. There is no rift
    between the named and nameless

    That sounds like an extemely good description of a poet's take on life as a whole...

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  13. I think we were on the same stream of consciousness this week, Peter. This is lovely though and has a really melodic feel for me - almost like a sad lullaby.

    Kat

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  14. Lovely. Peter, this is really smooth - lulling, sad and respectful. Reminds us of how confusion isn't always a flurry of thought, yet no less impactful for that. Very moving.

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  15. Like Helen, I find your poem redolent of my demented mother's mind. If there is any poverty in this, it is inherent to the nature of dementia, the loss of knowing where one is in time and space, the loss of coherent thought.
    Poetry Bus Ticket

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  16. Interesting building of the state of consciousness here. Nice.

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  17. Thought this was great. Its rhythm was so soothing, I felt drowsey as if I was in that half sleep state. Excellently captured.

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