Mander and Comcaster

[gurdonark]

That fellow Mathew Arnold, when not preoccupied with Dover and beaches, wrote stuff like "Sohrab and Rustam", a re-telling of a rather oft-told tale. I tbink there's something to be said for re-telling of oft-told tales. I'm intrigued by the way that sixties sitcom series sharpies casually crafted crazy creations on competing networks. In hindsight, this made TV shows seem to come, like Noah's critters, in pleasing twos. We did not have just the Addams Family, but also the Munsters. I'll see your Bewitched, and I'll raise you I Dream of Jeanie. Of course, nowadays, they don't bother to imitate. They merely clone. I am waiting for new future series called "Law and Order: Routine Parking Violations" and "CSI: Colma".

I like the way that Arthurian sagas got so many treatments. It's a long way from Idylls of the King to the Mists of Avalon. I've never been a big Joseph Campbell reader, although I believe that I do enjoy people who are influenced by his work. I like that idea of myth and heroism as a guide to living, although my myths are not so well ordered that Mr. Moyers could PBS them.

I sometimes wish to write an epic poem. I do not wish this because I have any gift for the epic, nor for poetry. Indeed, I see my November freed of my novel to have permitted me to get many things on my "to do" list done, but no poetry resulted so far. But I am confident that my creativity is freeing from some fetters, and will burst forth in some unexpected way soon.

My own gift, if gift is the word, is a liberation from undue worries about quality of expression. I do not mean that I lack a critical facility. I do not mean that "everything is good". But I do mean that creativity must be freed from an editor. The editor should not appear until after the first draft is written.
Well, maybe the editor can appear in the initial draft, but only in a cameo role. Never mind that I never seem to make it to the second draft.

Perhaps my epic poem would be "Mander and Comcaster", a story of a proud gladiator who wrestles for a corporate media giant.

I wish to resume my 100 Poems Project, which is stuck at 69. I wish to get my Mail Poetry documentation out before December is done. I wish to submit poems for publication, and write a new chess poem book.

A school in Fort Worth approached me about helping them find chess sets for kids to do after school chess. This is a worthy quest.
Perhaps that's what I need--some personal grail.

I think that the whole key is to see onself as a key player in one's own role playing game. I did not think this up, and many on LJ say it better. But it's true.

Comments

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

"the whole key is to see oneself as a key player in one's own role playing game." that's not a bad idea, Bob, not bad at all.
in fact, it's dangerously close to profound.~paul

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I can't take first credit for it, Paul, as I've seen different but akin sentiments on LJ before, but it really struck me this evening.

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

still a good idea Bob.
many people wouldn't recognize one
if it came up and bit them on the hindquarters.
~paul

[laruth.livejournal.com]

I agree - sounds quite profound.

[kenhighcountry.livejournal.com]

I think that the whole key is to see onself as a key player in one's own role playing game.

That brought to mind a line of Vonnegut's, which I think is from Mother Night. The quote is not exact, as it's from memory, but it was something to the effect of:

We are exactly who we pretend to be. So we had better be pretty damned careful about who we pretend to be.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Boy, I like that Vonnegut quote. That's right up there with the one about wishing people would stop loving each other so much and just be decent to one another sometimes. Thanks!

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

i'm thinking of resuming the 100 poems thing too. one of my other friends has been working on hers, and i've felt twinges of an urge to start in again. it was a wonderful concept you came up with!

[milly-bogtrot.livejournal.com]

same here...i'm trying to juggle art and poetry right now, and unfortunately the poetry is losing out. i keep saying that i can write while travelling, as it's easier, but we'll see.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

At least your juggle is art v. poetry, and not, as mine sometimes seems to be, poetry v. killing time.

[milly-bogtrot.livejournal.com]

you have a good point, so to aid you in your efforts i shall remind you of one of my favourite sayings:

'You cannot kill time without injuring eternity'
~ Henry David Thoreau

:)

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I'm thankful that during 2003, I've written some 70 poems or so. But I want to expand my output. I see poems as something like pictures--you can never take too many snaps,and once in a while you get a keeper.