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Potential

Member since 2002 · Posted 12 Apr 2005 · Edited 13 Apr 2005 · 10 comments

Drawn back into the day I am slackened and rested Like an unfired arrow. I let myself fly into the night Pitched out into dreams and restlessness But waking found nothing But an ache of inertia. Fists rest in pockets like wars unwon Eyes close on sights unseen And all I've spent is unearned.

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10 comments

[10] zodiac 12-Apr-05/5:51 AM Reply

Drop one of the "drawn"s from the first two lines. Change "found" to "find", and possibly "spent" to "spent".

[n/a] Christof › zodiac 12-Apr-05/7:07 AM Reply

Interesting - I like the tension created by the fact that 'let' could be present or past while 'found' and 'spent' tie it to the past. Do you find that ambivalence a hindrance? Similarly, I like the tension caused by the repetition of 'drawn back', hoping it prolongs the action in the imagination - perhaps this is not the case in practice. Thanks for your comments.

[10] zodiac › Christof 14-Apr-05/3:03 AM Reply

I just don't think any of that works.

[8] James Rykelangeli 12-Apr-05/4:50 PM Reply

with polishing, it will be superb. some notes: the wordplay with the two drawns works but seems slightly incongruous with the poem's dreamlike tone b/c it's such an overt rhetorical display. also, "pitch", as in to throw, is incongruous with the arrow metaphor. one does not throw arrows.

[n/a] Christof › James Rykelangeli 13-Apr-05/1:57 AM Reply

I've done some revision - please tell me what you think. Thanks for your feedback, it has been very useful.

[9] richa 13-Apr-05/3:22 AM Reply

It was ace before, this I think is a step backwards. Words like slackened (the drawing of an arrow is not a process of slackening anyway) and loosed are too imprecise.

[n/a] Christof › richa 13-Apr-05/3:41 AM Reply

Well, you can never please everybody. But I think slackened is right -the arrow is not being drawn back to be fired, but is being allowed to rest, so that would mean a slackening of the bowstring. It makes the initial 'drawn back' rather paradoxical, suggesting the movement although it doesn't happen in the end. You're right about 'loosed' though - 'pitched' was better, like Hopkins' 'pitched beyond pitch of grief' (pang of grief? Can't remember). Anyhow, this will be the final revision. I can't stand it anymore. Pah!

[10] INTRANSIT › Christof 16-Apr-05/6:41 PM Reply

Boy I know that feeling. You should've seen me fuss over a war/freight train poem. I fed it to the fireplace. In the meantime, welcome back, and the current state of this writ has me feeling a bit exhausted. I think that is what you were going for.

[9] Ranger 29-Jan-06/4:31 AM Reply

Nice! I still think your poem 'Instructions to a Sculptor' should be #1...

[10] Dr Peter Douglas 31-Jan-07/3:45 PM Reply

I like this a lot, ten out ten lets write again!!