So lots of people are hopping on early, and since I missed the bus last week, am determined to get on quick, before it fills up completely.
Here is monday's poem, posted live from Chart busters while listening to Beyoncé and small children shouting in the background...
The poem was to be based on watching "Garage" the great film starring Pat Shortt, took inspiration from his character in the film - and without further a waffle -
B's Special
B's tongue protrudes between wet lips
when he's thinking something out,
when apple trees don't grow in his stomach
- no matter how many pips he eats.
He hums,
when a throbbing, tightening at back of his throat
isn't someone banging drums
it's something else
it's feelings....
He never shouts
but lets it dive down deep inside, reeling,
turns it over
watches the colour flurry of it,
he doesn't sit
feeling sorry - but smiles for miles and miles on his walksabout.
B lives in the clover
doesn't feel no credit crunching
when he's munching on another apple.
Some day one of em will work
- he knows
and everyone will go berserk,
when apple blossoms sprout from his nose -
when he has purée on tap -
coming from his ears -
and seven years supply of cider, and how it flows -
B will sweat the sap, the juice, the fizz -
and people will know then just why
and just how special
he really is.
17 comments:
How did the radio extravagansey go today? First one that I've missed.Podcast soon hopefully.
Great poem Niamh,is the title a play on words like the old policemen?Or be special or..?
You've built a touching gentle humorous compassionate portrait here.And Janey mac I wish I could sweat cider too, it would encourage me to exercise.Soime lovely lines and rhymes in there.I liked this bit...
'He never shouts
but lets it dive down deep inside, reeling,
turns it over
watches the colour flurry of it,'
'The colour flurry of it' is a great line but the conclusion, for me, says it all..
' B will sweat the sap, the juice, the fizz -
and people will know then just why
and just how special
he really is.'
Deadly!Could be a good poem to perform at one of you're starry gigs? Tanxzio mucho!
I'll have to see the film now!
x
Good one! Reminds me I read somewhere that apple pips contain cyanide. Apparently, it would take about a cupful of pips to kill someone.
again, i haven't seen the film and again reading this i don;t feel the need to.
reading this it's like some magical realist odyssey. and a great ending!
This is cool. Really bright and optimistic. There's a real fertile feel to the whole thing.
Hi TFE - radio show is loaded up - in the Radio Programme Archives blog - link there somewhere.
Thanks re the poem - never heard of the old policeman. But thanks, yes I think I will pretend it's a play on words - re B Special - the B sharps, special K etc.
Rachel - it's well worth a watch.
Dominic - tisn't the cyanide - it's all the apple tree branches growing around the internal organs, that's a mad fact tho. Will avoid all healthy foods in future - just in case.
Thanks Swiss - tho the poem really has very little to do with the film - I'd still say it's worth a watch.
Tks Uisce, yeah it's such a sad and beautiful film, not sure how I ended up with such a happy poem! Won't complain about it though...
Nice!.. love the character you've created, makes me want to be one!.. I love the image of him smiling for miles and miles of walking.. :-) another beaut!
I love "when apple trees don't grow in his stomach
- no matter how many pips he eats."
I've gotta see this movie!
Thanks Watercats, v kind :-)
Thanks Willow - yknow there's no apple tree in this film that I can recall! For that you'd have to watch "How Harry became a tree" another Irish cinema triumph.
I haven't seen the film (darn it!), but did really enjoy the poem. Of course I can't help linking all this apple imagery to The Garden of Eden.
Do you think Beyoncé had any influence?
I'd like a glass of cider now.
I dredged up some Plath.
how wonderfully fun! After Titus's poem I thought, my, good thing I didn't see the film after all... now I'm changing my mind!
Niamh,this is profound.I like your connection between humanity and nature. Lovely!
Hi Poetikat - doesn't beyoncé influence everything tho really? No I had written it before I got to the vid shop!
Thanks Nanu - Again - must reiterate - no apple trees were hurt in the making of the movie.
Thanks Jeanne - glad you enjoyed it
There's such a lovely light touch to this one. Now I want to the pesky film even more!
Niamh, you're the first one I've got to that did the film as well! Great after the Plath-fest I've just had.
So, so interesting that you trod a lighter path that has conjured the joy of a man. The apple image is great, and the way you've built it to the cider-sweat crescendo is brilliant.
Loved the "smiles for miles and miles on his walksabout." - that line could be the film.
Yes, he's special. So's the poem.
Bravo!
Needs a bit of jizzing up, no?
Argent - see it. Tis well worth it, let me know what you think.
Titus - Tks a mill - poem came from hours of determined experimentation as a child, and no - it didn't work, I'm special too!
Oubliette - yes - just for you - read fourth last line as
"B will sweat the sap, the juice, the Jizz"
- still don't know why ye made me change that??!?
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