Tag astrology

* personal seasons via rae armantrout

José Angel Araguz Leave a comment
* Corspoot Christi Bay *

* Corspoot Christi Bay *

Above is a photo of our beluga friend, Spoot, who came along with us on our trip to Texas at the end of last month. This image came to mind as I reflect on all that’s happened this past month. And what happened? I started teaching a new class, begun reading into the a hundred and twenty plus books I need to get through for my exams year, worked out a book review and a few reflective essays as well as wrapped up a new manuscript. I have also done much this month alongside Diane Kistner of FutureCycle Press in term of preparing for the release of my newest chapbook Reasons (not) to Dance, which will be coming out next month (more news on this shortly).

All this activity has been echoed in my early mornings by birds. Tons of them. By the sound of it from our nook in Cincinnati, the birds are up to more than I am. This week’s poem – “Errands” by Rae Armantrout – charmed me for the action (physical/metaphorical) and danger evoked in short, clipped lines. There’s a nuance in each short section, a sort of lyric suggestiveness that moves me. The birds in the last section, I’ve always pictured as yellow. These days, we spot goldfinches here and there, busy with their “To, To.”

* to wit, to whit *

* to wit, to whit *

Errands – Rae Armantrout

The old
to-and-fro

is newly cloaked
in purpose.

There’s a jumble
of hair and teeth

under the bedclothes
in the forest.

“The better to eat you with,”
it says

and nibbles us
until we laugh.

*

An ax-man
comes to help.

*

“To, To,”
birds cheep

to greet
whatever has come up.

“To, To.”

***

Happy to-ing!

Jose

* tribute: franz wright

José Angel Araguz 3 Comments

Fathers – Franz Wright

Oh build a special city
for everyone who wishes
to die, where
they might help one another out
and never feel ashamed
maybe make a friend,
etc.
You
who created the stars and the sea
come down, come down
in spirit, fashion
a new heart
in me, create
me again-
Homeless in Manhattan
the winter of your dying
I didnt have a lot of time
to think about it, trying
to stay alive
To me
it was just the next interesting thing you would do-
that is how cold it was
and how often I walked to the edge of the actual
river to join you

***

that is how cold it was –

The turn into this line alone changed the landscape of poetic possibilities for me. I remember holding the book – Walking to Martha’s Vineyard – as if struck by lightning. How to make an already intimate tone cut deeper? It was summer 2011 and I had been working on the series of poems that became my first chapbook, The Wall. There’s a certain bracing of the soul that comes from great poetry. Franz Wright braced me to begin the work of risk and honesty that I continue on this day. *

Wright’s recent passing stunned me, yet I was warmed to see on social media just how many of my compatriots found communion with him, either through reading his work or engaging with him in person or correspondence. I did end up sending him a copy of The Wall, and he sent back a revelation of a letter. For this kindness, and for the earned light of his work, I say thank you.

On Earth – Franz Wright

Resurrection of the little apple tree outside

my window, leaf-
light of late
in the April
called her eyes, forget
forget—
but how
How does one go
about dying?
Who on earth
is going to teach me—
The world is filled with people
who have never died

Happy earthing!

Jose

* To read more about the making of The Wall, go here.

photo source: iO Poetry