WATERWAYS: Poetry in the Mainstream Vol. 1 No. 7 December, 1980 Co-Editors: Barbara Fisher & Richard Alan Spiegel SECTION I SECTION Ir Page 2-3 Introduction Page 24 Introduction 4-5 Homer 25 Christina Rossetti 6 Abu'l-Ala Al-Ma'arri 26-27 Sherida Yoder 7 Blind Harry 8 Milton SECTION IIT Sl Torlogh O'Carolan Page 28 Introduction 12-15 Thomas Blacklock 29 Abraham Marinoff Books 16-17 Frances Jane Crosby 30-31_—‘Allegany Mountain Press 18-19 Margaret Belches 32-34 Workmen's Circle 20-23 LV Hall 35 1981 Waterways Schedule Page 36 Acknowledgements WATERWAYS does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. All rights revert back to contributors after this publication. ©1980, Ten Penny Players, Inc., 799 Greenwich Street, NY 10014EE ae a hy SECTION I 1 1981 has been proclaimed the International Year of the Disabled. | The poets in this section all shared a common disability. They were unable to see. Yet they offered us their perceptions of the world in poetry. The greatest liability of being blind is social rejection. Blind People are handicapped by sighted society's notions of what they are capable of doing. ‘That the blind are capable of lead- ing the blind is not really such a far fetched notion. The follow- ing poets may be appreciated as leaders in their field. Homer and Milton mastered the epic poem. Legend has it that Homer was blind. In the Odyssey he portrays a blind bard, Demodokos. “Milton was totally blind by his 44th year, before he wrote PARADISE LOST. Blind Harry wrote of the epic ad- ventures of Wallace in Scotland. Abu'l-Ala Al-Malarri. was | blinded in infancy by small pox in the 9th century. Torltogh O'Carolan was the last in a tradition of Irish blind bards that dated back to Ossian in the 4th Century AD.Thomas Blacklock was blind as an infant in Scotland. He was yen pespected as a poet, grammarian and doctor of divi ity by the English Parliament during the days of the American Revolution. Progressive ideas of educating the blind pro- fluced the talented poets of the 19h century as represented here by Hall, Belches, and Crosby. In keeping with WATERWAY's desire to publish Poetry from hoping ied exPeriences, we offer our readers these poems, hoping that you will read them aloud and realize that poetry has always been an aural experience.ODYSSES rhe Fighth Book HOMER ...The drie streets flowd with men | That troup't up to the King's capacious Court, | Whose Porticos were chok't with the resort, i Whose wals were hung with men: yong, old, thrust there } In mighty concourse; for whose promist cheere | Atcinous slue twelve Sheepe, eight white-toothd Swine, | ‘Two crook-hancht Beeves; which flead and drest, divine The show was of so many a jocund Guest All set together at so set a feast. To whose accomplisht state the Herald then The lovely Singer led, who past all men The Muse affected, gave him good and ill - His eiés put out, but put in soule at will.. His place was given him in a chaire all grac't With silver studs and gainst a Pillar plac't, Where as the Center to the State he rests, And round about fhe circle of the Guests, The Herald on a Pinne above his head His soundfull harpe hung, to whose height he ted His hand for taking of it downe at will, A boord set by with food, and forth did fill A bowle of wine to drinke at his desire, The rest then fell to feast, and when the fire Of appetite was quencht, ihe Muse inflam'd The Sacred Singer. (8th Century BC) George Chapman, Translatorec ABU'L-ALA AL-MA'ARRI If knowledge aids not me nor baulks my foe, The losers in Life's game are those who know. | As Allah laid our fortune, so it lies } For ever ~ O vain wisdom of the wise! | Can this doomed caitiff man, tho' far he fly, ‘Scape from his Lord's dominion, earth and sky? Nay, soon shall we, the hindmost gang, tread o'er The path our fellow-slaves have trod before. | Surveying humankind, I marvel still How one thirsts while another drinks his fill. | I draw my bow and every shaft flies wide, The arrow aimed at me ne'er turns aside. soe ek ee 0 fool, awake! The rites ye sacred hold Are but a cheat contrived by men of old, Who lusted after wealth and gained their lust, | And died in baseness, - and their law is dust. (973-1057)BLIND HARRY (also known as Henry the Minstrel) Als Inglis clerks in prophecys thai fand, How a Wallace suld putt thaim of Scotland, Schir Ranald knew weill a mar quiet sted, Guhar Wityham mycht be bettir fra thair fede, With his uncle Wallas of Ricardtoun, Schir Richard Hecht, that gud knycht off renoun. Thai lands hayle than was his heretage, Bot blynd he was, (so hapnyt throw curage, Be Inglis men that dois ws mekill der In his rysyng he worthi was in wer. ) Throuvh hurt of waynys, and mystyrit of blud, Yeit he was wis, and of his conseill gud. (1470-1492)JOHN MILTON When I consider how my light is spent, E're half my days, in this dark world and wide, ‘And that one Talent which is death:to. hide, | Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, let he returning chide, Doth God exact day-labour, light deny'd, I fondly ask; But patience to prevent That murmer, soon replies, God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts, who best Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State Is Kingly: Thousands at his bidding speed ‘And post o're Land and Ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and waite. 1 (1609-1674)TORLOGH O'CAROLAN To thee harmonious powers belong, That add to verse the charms of song, Soft melodies with numbers join, And make the poet half divine, As when the softly blushing rose, Close by some neighboring lity grows, Such is the glow thy cheeks diffuse, And such their bright and blended hues! The timid luster of thine eye With nature's Purest tints can vie; With the sweet blue-bell’s azure gem, That droops upon the modest stem!The poets of Ierni's plains To thee devote their choicest strains; And oft their harps for thee are strung, | And oft thy matchless charms are sung, | Since the fam'd fair of ancient days, Whom bards and worlds conspir'd to praise, Not one like thee has since appear'd, Like thee to every heart endear'd. How blest the bard, O lovely maid! To find thee in thy’ charms arrayed; Thy pearly teeth, thy flowing hair, Thy neck beyond the eygnet fair. b || Even he, whose hapless eyes no ray amit from beauty's cheering day; Jet though he cannot see the light, He feels it warm, and knows it bright, in beauty, talents, taste refined, And all the graces’ of the mind, In all, unmatch'd thy charms remain, Nor meet a rival on the plain. (1670-1738)ee THE GENEALOGY OF NONSENSE THOMAS BLACKLOCK With long and careful serutining in vain, I search'd th'obscure recesses of my brain; The Muses oft, with mournful voice I woo'd, To find a plea for silence if they could, But thro! my search not one excuse appear'd, And not a Muse would answer if she heard, Thus I remain'd in anxious, sad suspense, Despairing aid from reason or from sense, Till from a pow'r, of late well known to fame, Tho! not invok'd, the wish'd solution came. Now night incumbent shaded half the ball, Silence assum'd her empire over ail, While on my eyes imperfect slumbers spread Their downy wings , and hover'd round my head; But still internal sense, awake remain'd, And still its first solicitude retain'd; 2EEE When, lo! with slow descent, obscurely bright, Yet cloth'd in darkness visible, not light, 7 form, high tow'ring to the distant siciee, In mimic grandeur, stood before my eyes: As after storms waves faintly lash the shore, And chill'd my soul with more than common fear. {Thus spoke the pow'r:-"From yon extendéa void, Where Jove's creating hand was ne'er employ'd, "here soft with hard, and heavy mix'd with light, And heat with cold, maintain eternal fight; | Where end the realms of order, form, end day; Where Night and Chaos hold primeval sway; Their first, their ever-darling offspring view, Who comes thy wonted calmness to reneo. Ere yet the mountains rear'd their heads on high Ere yet the radiant Sun illum'd the sky, Ere swelling hills, or humble vales were seen, Or woods the prospect cheer'd with waving green;tl Ere Nature was, my wond'rous birth I date, More old than Chance, Necessity, or Fate; Ere yet the Muses touch'd the vocal tyre, My reverend mother and tumultuous sire Beheld my wondrous birth with vast amaze, And Discord's boundless empire roar'd my praise. "In me, whate'er by Nature is disjoin'd, All opposite extremes involv'd you find: Born to retain, by Fate's eternal doom, My sire's confusion, and my mother's gloom. Where'er extend the realms of letter'd pride, With uncontroll'd dominion I preside; Thro! its deep gloom I dart the doubtful ray, And teach the learned idiots where to stray: The labouring chymist, and profound divine, Err, not seduc'd by Reason's light, but mine. From me alone these boast the wond'rous skill To make a myst'ry, more mysterious still; , While those pursue by science, not their own, The universal cure, and philosophic stone. 14Thus, when the leaden pedant courts my aid, To cover ignorance with learning's shade, Ao swell the folio to a proper size, And throw the clouds of art or Nature's eyes, HY Soporific pow'r the sages own; Hence by the sacred name of Dulness known; But if mercurial scribblers Pant for fame, Zhose I inspire, and Nonsense is my name. Much more the Muse, reluctant, must suppress. For all the pow'r of time and fate confess; 700 soft her accents, and too weak her pray'r, For time or fate, or eruel poste ia hear, (1721-1791) 15TIME CHRONICLED IN A SKULL (Thoughts inspired when the poet placed | a watch inside the cavity of a skull she } was holding) pp ANCES JANE CROSBY Why should I fear it? Once the pulse of life Throbbed in these temples, pale and bloodless now? Here reason sat enthroned, its empire held O'er infant thought and thought to action grown: A flashing eye in varying glances told The secret workings of immortal mind. The vital spark hath fled, and hope, and love, And hatred - all are buried in the dust: Forgotten, like the cold and senseless clay That lies before me: such is human life. Mortals, behold and read your destiny! Faithful chronometer, which now I place Within this cavity, with faltering hand, Tell me how swift the passing moments fly! 16ee | I hear thy voice, and tremble as I hear; For time and death are blended - awful thought! Death claims his victim. Time that once was his, Bearing him onward with resistless power, Must in a vast eternity be lost. Eternity! duration infinite! Age and ages roll unnumbered there; From star to star the soul enraptured flies, Drinking new beauties, transports ever new, Casting its crown of glory at His feet, Controls the storms that wake the boundless deep, "And guides the Planet in its wild career." 19th Century, AmericanTHE VOICE OF THE SEA MARGARET BELCHES What art thou, voice, on the wild winds borne- Heard 'bove.the shriek of the furious storm— Sweeping along o'er the angry surge, Like the strange, wild notes of a funeral dirge? Art thou a spirit foreboding woe, Come from the fathomless depths below? For the laugh is hushed, and each cheek grows pale, As the seaman lists to thy mournful wail. Art thou come to tell of some desolate shore, Where the wild waves dash and the breakers roar- Of the whirlpool nigh, with its chambers dark- The tomb of many a gallant bark?Or, perchance, from the ocean's gem-lit caves, Thou wert weary of sport 'neath the feathery waves, Midst the unknown tombs where the sea nymphs fa Their vigils keep o'er the sleepers there; Where the mermaid wreathes her golden curls With crimson coral and rarest pearls; Where the naiads' sweet, low melodies Resound through the amber palaces. But why art thou come from homes like these, To float 'mid the tempest - child of the seas ~ When the sable hue of the night is spread, Like a funeral pall, o'er the voyager's head - Where no ray of brightness greets the sight, Save the curling waves' phosphoric light, That fearfully on the billows loom, Like spectral forms amid the gloom? Oh, were our hearts but freed from sin, We would fear thee not 'mid the tempest's din- We would welcome thee as an angel voice, At the gates of the Heavenly Paradise, (19th Century) 19OO A LEGEND L. V. HALL In Jersey there lived, as I have been told, When science was yet in its shell, A worthy old Dutchman, who offered much gold To any wise man who could tell How to drive from his cellar a troublesome witch, Who nightly disturbed his repose, By leading him forth o'er thorn-hedge and ditch, By a ring made fast in his nose. "So droubled am I," said our hero one day, "Tat I'd giff de pest hoss in me parn, To any old wizard tat may dravel tis vay, For to trive tis old hag from me varm 20"My cals tey run vild, my cows tey run try, No putter my voman can make; My pees leave de hives, my gattle dey dies, No gomfort at all can I dake." One evening when all had retired to bed, And left the old man in his chair, He sighed as the darkness grew thicker, and said, "Ich wold garn ins bet ga won ich darf." But the old mansion shook with a November gaie, Dread spectres were stalking without, And howl'd through each crevice the horrible tale That Mynheer was thinking about. Dense wreaths of tobacco smoke curled round his head While the old kitchen clock, that for years Had measured each moment of time as it sped Tick'd louder to banish his fears. 2lOO But darkness grew thicker, the candle burnt blue, A sulphurous smell filled the room, While the tumult without waxed fiercer, as grew The clock face more pale in the gloom, While Van Hochtail thus mused (for that was his name) The clock in the corner tolled one; The candle went out, when a fit seized his frame And he thought, sure the devil is come. The door was thrown open, a figure rushed in, A bellowing sound-then a crash; All consciousness fled, while away on the wind The Dutchman was borne in a flash, The whole of that night, in the form of a horse, He scoured the country around, With a witch on his back, as a matter of course, And not until morning’ he found 22Himself in his chair, his hat in his hand, His pipe and his wig on the floor; The storm had passed off, the morning was clear. And the clock tick'd on as before. 19th century 23ne SECTION II The Waterways Project will be at Rutgers University, New- ark, on January 28th with a Poetry Book Fair, Readings by poets from Rutgers and New Jersey and Populist Po- | 24REMEMBER CHRISTINA ROSSETTI Remember me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you planned: Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad. (1830-1894) 25LL NOVEMBER IN THE PARK SHERIDA YODER Ducks that glide upon the silent pond, when the rains come down, parting their feathers with stinging drops, know then they must fly beyond the close-leafed park to search for warmer weather. They blink dark eyes, look at clouds. Autumn at first is strange to them: as the wind becomes colder, the change closer, the clouds darken and winter-smell comes. Then they circle the pond all night, gathering, moving their bodies close to one another, clucking, wing against wing; they drink the water deeply, circling again and again the whole pond as if for memory. At morning, all is silent and the moving stops. They wait. 26Then, with a loud cry one starts up into the air and, rushing, every duck leaps up, drenching each other with their dripping feet breaking from the water, The pond churns for a few minutes then smoothes itself into that rehearsed calm of those that wait for what is gone. 27LLL SECTION III The members of the Waterways Project are as different in their publishing styles and poetic frames of reference as is the pop- ulation of the United States. For the past two years we have been listing our members on the covers of the magazine. We have become dissatisfied with this method of introducing these (iis issue includes profiles of; ABRAHAM MARINOFF BOOKS (material for and by Senior Citizens); ALLEGANY MOUNTAIN Hee yeipublishing a literary journal’ and poetry chapbooks) ; WORKMEN'S CIRCLE (Yiddish poets) . phe Mext issue of WATERWAYS will profile: ALTERNATIVE LIT- Y PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS (child poets); ARBA SI- EULA (Sicilian language poets) & JANI JOHE WEBSTER BOOS (a self-published poet). 28ABRAHAM MARINOFF BOOKS In 1970 Abraham Marinoff suffered a stroke that left him physically crippled. He was 74 yet refused to be shunted aside. He decided to write. His style was simple, unadorned, direct. He wrote essays, short stories, personal histories reflecting his childhood in Russia, the hardship of being an im- migrant in New York, his adult years as a real estate builder. He was impelled to continue his writ- ing and to publish, forming his own company to dis- tribute his books to senior citizens centers, libraries, and to the general public through displays at small Press book fairs. It has remained Marinoff's intent to encourage the elderly to write, to share their experiences, hopes, and problems with people of their own and other gen- erations, to document links with the past and create a legacy through language. 14 books of essays, short stories, novels are in print. (400 Argyle Road, Booklyn NY 11218) 29ALLEGANY MOUNTAIN PRESS Allegany Mountain Press prints its own material and handles the total product from selection of work to be published. through typesetting, printing, distribution and sales, Its first publica- tion, ALLEGANY POETRY, featured Poets from upper New York State. As submissions increased, regional limits were abandoned and materials other than poetry were published by the press which changed the name of its journal to UROBOROS in 1976 to more accurately reflect its nature as a literary review featuring postry, fiction. review, essays, art and comment. Issued twice Srzga" UROBOROS is interested in contemporary mythology, dream, and experimental work. Plans for I961 include a special issue on the creative process centering on the latest scientific theories on dream and mythology, and on analogs for the process itself, in whatever form they take. pane Rebis Chapbook Series was begun by Allegany in 1977. The books contain poems on specific themes or that are related ih seve Bienen poets already published in this series include: Patrick Bizzaro, Douglas Carlson, Jon Daunt, Paul Grillo, Steve Lava’ Gouski, and Helen Ruggieri. CALIBRATIONS by David Lunde ts the most recent in the series. Longer works of poetry previous- 'y published include: MOTHERING by Judith Kerman and ‘This 30WOMEN'S HOUSE by Arlene Stone. Future publications Include: an anthology of Scottish-American poetry, collections of shone stories and additions to the Rebis Chapbook Series. From UROBOROS, Vol. 3, Nos. 566, 1980 OFFERING si nard. Batim Leaning against oak and marble darkness, | light candles to a peeling, smoke-stained virgin. She smiles down at me, one hand reaches for my hair; her shadow dances across the arched ceiling. Ghosts come weaving like drunks out of the moonlight, begging the answers | would demand of them. But all the words we share are questions. Outside, the rain is the sound of voices being shattered by a silver hammer. Ford & Helen Ruggieri, Editors, Ill W 10 Street, Olean NY 14760 31WORKMEN'S CIRCLE Since 1900 the Workmen's Circle has sought to nurture a secular culture free of religious dogma and national chauvinism. In its efforts to preserve and promote Yiddish culture, the Workmen's Circle has been publishing books since 1918. It has produced record albums as well by performers such as Emil Gorovets, the Soviet Jewish emigre. Two recent books include: AN ANTHOLO- GY OF MODERN YIDDISH POETRY edited by Ruth Whitman with an introduction by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Unique among collec- tions of translated Yiddish works, the original text of each poem is included as well as a skillful translation by Ms. Whitman. As the great majority of Yiddish literature remains untranslated the Anthology offers an opportunity for American readers to ac- quaint themselves with works by less accessible writers such as Chayim Grade, Rukhl Korn, Avrum Sutskever and Kadya Molod— owsky. MIR TROGN A GEZANG is a collection of Yiddish songs edited by Eleanor Gordon-Mlotex with an introduction by Theo- dore Bikel. Music for piano and guitar and synopses of the so- cial and historical backgrounds for over 100 Yiddish songs are included with the Yiddish texts and transliterations. 32from AN ANTHOLOGY OF MODERN YIDDISH POETRY GO THROW THEM OUT) L HALPERN When people come with big muddy feet and open your door without a by-your-leave, and begin to walk around inside your house like in a whorehouse off in a back street- then it's the heart's finest joke to take a whip in your hand like a baron teaching his servant how to say goodmorning, and simply drive them all away like dogs! But what do you do with the whip when people come with corn-blond hair and heavenly blue eyes, bursting in like birds briskly flying, lullabying you as though with lovely dreams, and meanwhile stealing into your heart, singing, taking off their tiny shoes, and, like children paddling in summer brooks, dabble their pretty feet in your heart's blood? 33PRESENTLY IN PRODUCTION AT WORKMEN'S CIRCLE ARE: A Holiday Coloring Book for pre-school children with poems by Matis Olitzky translated by Moishe Rosenfeld; A record album to include 12 songs chosen by a panel of musicians and culture-activists from open competi- tion, Poetry records and books in English & Yiddish are available for adults and children from the Workmen's Circle Education Department, 45 East 33rd Street, NY NY 10016. a4The programs scheduled to date for 1981 have been made possible with support from our members and a grant from B Dalton Bookseller. January 28, Rutgers University, Newark NJ-Book Fair, Readings, Populist Reading; January-February, Hunter Elementary School, Manhattan ~ Workshops, Readings; Februa-March. Horizon School, Flushing- Workshops, Readings; March 21, Brooklyn Hetghts Public ‘Library, Brooklyn = Book Fair’ Workshops;~ Harck 20, Brook: lyn Heights Public Library, Brooklyn - Book Fair & Readings; April 25 Newark Public Library, NJ ~Book Fair & Readings; May 30, Newark Public Library, NJ - Book Fair & Readings; June 7, Nassau Art Mupe- um, Roslyn, NY - Book Fair, Workshops, Readings, Populist Reading: Harvey Shapiro & William Cullen Bryant (this reading made possible with support from Poets & Writers which is funded by the New York State Council on the Arts). " The Waterways Project brings poetry materials and poets into com- munities in order to develop audiences for literature, encourage the performance and publication of poetry and affirm a commitment to ed- ucation as a lifelong experience. 35ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SECTION I BEAUTIES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE BLIND, Wm. Artman & LV dall, Auburn, 1859; CHALMERS ENGLISH POETS, Vol. 18, 1810, London; CHAPMAN'S HOMER, Vol. 2, Pantheon Books, Bollingen Foundation, 1956; THE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN MILTON, ed. by Sir Egerton Brydges, Bart., Vol. VI, London, 1835; SCHIR WILLIAM WALLACE KNIGHT OF ELLERSLIE, 1889, The Scottish Text Society; TRANSLATIONS OF EASTERN PO- ETRY & PROSE, Reynold Alleyne Nicholson, Cambridge, 1922, SECTION IT THE COMPLETE POEMS OF CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, RW Crump, Editor, Vol. 1, Louisiana State University Press, 1979 WATERWAYS is published 11 times a year. Subscriptions- $15 Please make checks payable to Ten Penny Players Inc. Contributions to Ten Penny Players are tax deductible. 36