Above the
water hang the
loud
flies
Here
O so
gray
then
What A pale signal will appear
When Soon before its shadow fades
Where Here in this pool of opened eye
In us No Upon us As at the very edges
of where we take shape in the dark air
this object bares its image awakening
ripples of recognition that will
brush darkness up into light
even after this bird this hour both drift by atop the perfect sad instant now
already passing out of sight
toward yet-untroubled reflection
this image bears its object darkening
into memorial shades Scattered bits of
light No of water Or something across
water Breaking up No Being regathered
soon Yet by then a swan will have
gone Yes out of mind into what
vast
pale
hush
of a
place
past
sudden dark as
if a swan
sang
I think John Hollander's "Swan and Shadow" is a fresh take on poetry. I love the shape that compliments the title. I think it really adds something to the poem, making it visually appealing. He takes the "ripples of recognition" literally. Here are some other concrete poems I thought were great:
Are we due for a revival of concrete poetry in the digital age with all of its strong visual emphasis? Does this promise to enhance or to cheapen the texts and words of poetry?
ReplyDeleteI think the visual nature of poetry, especially in regards to the increase seen with the digital age, makes it more accessible to different types of learners. It's all in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. Graffiti could be a type of concrete poetry
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