adrift_etc

- Communist party: I can't decide if it's more politically correct to celebrate the centenary of the October Revolution on 25 October or 7 November.... ;-)

- Reading, books 2017: 88.

88. Measures of Expatriation, by Vahni Capildeo, 2016, poetry &c. Extremely high brow literature in a variety of short forms most often associated with poetry and poetic expression. Not so much a word-hoard as a form-cache, this is poetry as keen to show how it was made as to convey endeavours at meaning beyond structure. In places this seems to be pre-emptive defensiveness against deconstruction: if I show you mine then you have no need to take me apart. (Do you remember the old joke about modern architecture? Which reveals the pipework because that's functional but conceals the exit because that isn't...). But escaping from the structure are enough briefly disclosed exit signs, revealing windows on realities most of Ms Capildeo's readers will never witness, to make the venture of reading worthwhile for people who appreciate this kind of art. (4/5, goodreads = 40ratings/5reviews 4/5)

• friend sheep, if i stretched wide enough
i could give birth to a child like you:
a round-eyed barrier against normality,
a rare breed indeed, not a marie antoinette pet.

• [I wanted to describe hearing Ms Capildeo deliver her own work to a live audience but was lost for words until, lol:] The answers will be delivered in the voice that educators develop for dealing with the bright-eyed slow and gradually extend to everyone however agreeable.

( Quotes )