| Author | Message | ||
| Christopher T George
Senior Member Username: chrisgeorge Post Number: 3238 Registered: 12-2004 |
God's Hill "O Jesus burning on the lily cross" Robert Hayden, "Night, Death, Mississippi" Bucolic kitsch: we devoured scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream in the tea garden next to the model village, sipped tea in the warm October sun having played Gulliver to the Lilliputians, toured the gift shop with the Isle of Wight- shaped shortbread, the rock and fudge, nick- nack souvenirs of a magical isle: the tiny station out of Thomas the Tank Engine, the Island of Sodor, the natty conductor, the pristine boat dock; all had its place, except perhaps for a white wind machine dominating all like the Bomb towered over us in the Sixties or Terrorism today. We drove away from that unreal village in our rented Nissan not knowing that in the true church on God's Hill Christ writhed on the lily cross. Christopher T. George See Student Life Isle of Wight Tourist Guide and photos of the model village I posted on Desert Moon Review (Message edited by Chrisgeorge on November 24, 2005) Editor, Desert Moon Review http://www.desertmoonreview.com/ Co-Editor, Loch Raven Review http://www.lochravenreview.com/ http://chrisgeorge.netpublish.net/ | ||
| Lazarus
Valued Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 278 Registered: 10-2005 |
Chris- I thought this was great from the moment I started reading it. With each stanza I got more enchanted. There were some things I didn't understand. What does "a white wind machine" refer to? And that term "Christ burned on the lily cross" what does that mean? "No envy, no fear, no meanness." | ||
| Christopher T George
Senior Member Username: chrisgeorge Post Number: 3252 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thanks, Lazarus. I mean the controversial wind machines / wind farms that are now populating the countryside here in the U.S. and in Europe. See http://www.windmilltours.com/ http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/wind.html I have to admit that I don't know exactly what Robert Hayden meant in his "Night, Death, Mississippi" when he wrote, "O Jesus burning on the lily cross" -- except perhaps Christ in the hot mideast sun or metaphorically "burning" -- in any case I wanted to imply a darker and deeper reality than the kitschy Isle of Wight village would on the surface show. Chris Editor, Desert Moon Review http://www.desertmoonreview.com/ Co-Editor, Loch Raven Review http://www.lochravenreview.com/ http://chrisgeorge.netpublish.net/ | ||
| Lazarus
Valued Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 283 Registered: 10-2005 |
Chris- OHHHH. Maybe others will not be as dense as myself, but if you change it to "windmill" I don't think you'll hurt the poem any, and you'll give an instant picture for us slower folk! I like the sound of "lily cross." Yes, I guess it does make me think of the south, especially with the burning. "No envy, no fear, no meanness." | ||
| Christopher T George
Senior Member Username: chrisgeorge Post Number: 3254 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi Lazarus Thanks. I would use "windmill" although if I say that people may think I mean an old traditional windmill, so therefore chose "wind machine" though I agree there may be a way to make clear what I mean. Chris Editor, Desert Moon Review http://www.desertmoonreview.com/ Co-Editor, Loch Raven Review http://www.lochravenreview.com/ http://chrisgeorge.netpublish.net/ | ||
| Lazarus
Valued Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 287 Registered: 10-2005 |
How about "monster windmill" or "modern wind machine" I see why you would want the modern look there to get away from the toy village feel of the first part. "No envy, no fear, no meanness." | ||
| Christopher T George
Senior Member Username: chrisgeorge Post Number: 3256 Registered: 12-2004 |
Lazarus: Yes, "modern wind machine" might do it. Thanks.  Chris Editor, Desert Moon Review http://www.desertmoonreview.com/ Co-Editor, Loch Raven Review http://www.lochravenreview.com/ http://chrisgeorge.netpublish.net/ | ||
| LJ Cohen
Moderator Username: ljc Post Number: 3467 Registered: 07-2002 |
Chris--you could also use wind turbine, if you like. They are eerie. I saw a whole 'farm' of them in the California desert. I had forgotten how otherworldly they looked until reading htis poem. I love the contrast between the 'kitch' and the serious in this. The "gulliver" line perfect. I could really see that. Well done. best, ljc http://ljcbluemuse.blogspot.com/ | ||
| Christopher T George
Senior Member Username: chrisgeorge Post Number: 3274 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi Lisa Thanks for your comments. Yes I believe "wind turbine" might be the answer, so thanks for that. Yes I agree that those machines are sinister and I would hate to see whole countrysides populated with them. Uggh. Chris Editor, Desert Moon Review http://www.desertmoonreview.com/ Co-Editor, Loch Raven Review http://www.lochravenreview.com/ http://chrisgeorge.netpublish.net/ | ||
| Lazarus
Intermediate Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 301 Registered: 10-2005 |
Excellent! Wind turbine is just right. On the subject of these monster things I agree they are a bit unsettling but let's remember guys that this is one of the best sources of clean power humankind has ever thought of. We have to love them somehow, despite our fears, because the planet is depending on us for its survival. *Lazarus gets off soap box and slinks out of the room* "No envy, no fear, no meanness." |
