Thomas M. Disch 1984
Poetry Book Society
When I read this book, my thoughts will appear in the comment stream below…
A book below that I produced a few weeks ago, and David Mathew asked whether it was inspired by Tom Disch, but then I had not even heard of the Disch book!
HERE I AM
COAL MINERS
The poet’s imagination “as it gnaws at the dark walls that surround me”, to be kept from the coal miners he praises, in case it is seen as condescension. A powerful poem, for me, about HAWLING, as I see it.
In this our age now of global warming, and long before the Trumphenomenon, it seems ironic or natural common sense what evil these men — poeticised here by Disch no later than 1984 — voted for in 2016?
DENVER AIRPORT
“If we appear at such moments a nation
Of maniacs locked Into fantasies all”
“Yahoo!”
FORBIDDEN CHILDREN
“…yatteta-yatteta.
Urban violence was escalating, and everyone was simultaneously
Scared, indignant, and unconcerned.”
MANHATTAN NOTES
“everything is over here,
including the oldest friendships.”
PRAYER TO PLEASURE
Eat chicken then keep the bones as a source fot stock. This book’s overall title comes again into play, as pleasure and oblivion are seen to be almost equivalent. Repetitions of oblivion as the vessels that are each ready to hold the next potentially empty-able pleasure?
JUST BEFORE THE COPS ARRIVE