-- (my poems are at the bottom)--
I have been getting into the French Symbolist poets Rimbaud and Mallarme, the great rebel visionaries, who I learned of because Rimbaud was mentioned in a Bob Dylan song. (Particularly, Rimbaud's climactic visionary works A Season In Hell and Illuminations and the letters where he describes his quest, and Mallarme's climactic works, the vast cycle Poesies (Poetic Works) drawn from much of his career and his big poem A Throw Of Dice, all of which are far above much of their other work, and most else I have read from anyone.) It would be rediculous for me to claim to be on their level (I don't know who is, maybe T. S. Eliot and Bob Dylan, maybe others come close such as traditional mythic poets of the Aztec (Nahuatl) tradition- a living tradition which I only just descovered- and followers of Rimbaud and Mallarme and/or T S Eliot- Yeats, Hart Crane, ee cummings (he liked all lowercase letters for his name often), W H Auden, Dylan Thomas and rock legend Patti Smith... those who recieved the fire from Mallarme, Rimbaud and/or T S Eliot! (Though Yeats and Dylan Thomas are Romantics who have the sweet soaring spirit of Wordsworth, Keats and Chopin!)), but I have realized just now (6/12/14, about 6:30 in the afternoon) that I have, especially in my prose writings, been trying to do the same as the French Symbolists- to describe the spiritual ideal behind reality, more real than what we see with our eyes, almost out of reach but closer than our own skin. This is because I have experienced this ideal world of the spirit, felt it vividly- at times very vividly- in dreams, in daydreams, in Nature- especially the Sequoia Grove (Caleveras Big Trees North Grove) that I visited as a child- in daydreams in and of Nature- and while talking with good friends who are cute yummy sweet sweet tender sweet girls who I have a crush on (like i have a crush on pretty much every kind girl I meet, and not in a small way!!! Ordinary girls are extrordinary!!! (And yummy and so sweet!!!!!!) (and might I add angelic!) (And yes, I mean YOU!!!!! Angelic you!!!!!)), and it's these experiences that inspired me to become an author, these experiences I have wanted to capture. (The experiences with girls inspired many of my jokes!!! (The ones about how yummy and sweet girls are!)) Perhaps Rimbaud and Mallarme had similar experiences which inspired them to become writers? Certainly once they became poets they sought out such experiences! My poems have less of that ecstatic, mystical element then my prose, but it's there and they've been coming! (Well, they WERE coming....) Anyway, enjoy!!!
And be sure and check out Rimbaud, Mallarme, TS Eliot and the other poets I mentioned if this sounds like your thing!!!
And remember- it's my PROSE that is more ecstatic and mystical, to the extent that I can manage anyway!!!
I just (July 2nd 2014) descovered the incredible living traditions of mythic, spiritual and philosophical poetry of the still-living Aztec, Maya and Inca peoples, in their native languages (Nahuatl (Aztec), Mayan (several very close languages), and Quechua (Incan)), all spoken by millions of people, drawing on the pre-conquest traditions that are also living oral (spoken and remembered as a performance art) traditions and often translated into English and Spanish... Wikipedia and other websites tell of these languages and their literature! Some websites have actual poems... they are mythic like the Old Testament Prophets, sweet and philosophical in a mystical way, filled with beauty, mythic like Homer, but completely different and unique- sweet, philosophical/mystical lyric works all the way to otherworldly mythic dramas! Websites should have the original as well as the translation, and even pronounced by me the original language is extrordinary! There are books too... search the language names on Amazon and some of the books that come up will be works (or collections) of literature, usually with the original as well as the translation! Only two will come up in Quechua, but they are a vast sacred epic, the Huarochiri Manuscript, and a big collection of folktales, She-Calf and other Quechua Folk Tales. Mayan is harder. Search the names of Mayan works of literature mentioned in Wikipedia (under 'Mayan Languages) if you only need a translation, search 'Popol Vuh: literal poetic version translation and transcription' and 'annals of the Cakchiquels' (make sure the Annals mentions the original text!) for translations with the original text. Also 'Ancient American poets' (it comes up under Mayan Poetry) has lyric poetry from all three traditions in the original language as well as in translation! (And the original language is traditionally written in the Latin alphabet (since the 16th century), the alphabet you're reading right now!) But I do not have these books yet- I have read Nahuatl, Mayan and Quechua poetry from websites- again, just search the language names! (And the language names with 'language' or 'poetry'... it's that easy!) (for Mayan poetry, search Mayan Poetry, and Mayan Language to learn about the language. It's much easier to find than on Amazon!) Check these traditions out! (Even the languages themselves, which I am probably pronouncing quite akwardly, have an incredible power and mythic beauty! If I can learn to pronounce these words you will do better than me! :) ) (You might even learn to understand a few words! You're probably much better than me at that!!!)
And here's my contribution to poetry. Enjoy!