Pasta Poem #1
A legend in my own lunchtime
Alone with RS Merwin I wait for a bowl of carbonara, Though he is rather quiet, all I have to go by is his book Present Company and his musing on the soul. his mature style short lines sparse poetics of subtraction without punctuation marks in which he asks are you real are you one or several do you take turns not to answer lyric poetry is like this one invests in objects they become numinous one calls out they do not reply in the same way I address you across the break of a line a bowl arrives the colour of a thrush’s egg sprinkled herbs decorate its sombrero rim at its centre spaghetti coils to a soft peak held together by an eggy sauce steam rises for a few seconds and vanishes I twist a forkful of pasta onto my spoon more steam rises with each forkful I’d like to think my soul is more than an epiphenomenon I cannot be sure I live in doubt every possibility possible no more weight given than another I rest my fork and spoon in the quiet curve of my empty bowl my soul is at rest here in emptiness replete
Yes, RS Merwin is a significant North American poet (US Laureate 2010-2011) who managed to combine a Zen sensibility, acute observation and existential reflection.
His work migrated from a complex style to a simple focused style, much in the same way as Louise Glück (US Laureate (2003 - 2004). On the face of it, it looks easy to emulate; but, it is not because everything is focussed on the precise use of the line break to regulate the meaning, flow and pace of the poem.
Didn't know about Merwin- thanks- am envious of his passing, at home, in old age, in a place called Haiku, where he had planted an extraordinary tree collection!