from Gifts
FROM GIFTS *july 6th by bpNichol struck/sure read,dear the search for absolutes in a world of flux where are we lead when we follow their lead *july 2nd *july 4th at Sylvan Lake sun going down old hotel behind me not a memory but the recollection my parents dancing here 1933 their honeymoon Uncle Earl playing in the orchestra what song? what tune? what music drifts across the water all water years the self-conscious act of memory re-membering a life, love, the i is born out of passion songs play are …
MS Postcards Series One, Number Two
le"'""e.A il.t. s~c-..Ye.ts of' ,ul..s.r•'-e. - t-v~\.t h ~e ~ L.. c.l, \c,.. ew ·, f ;"e', - -\L..ca. i ti.a r·"1,.e1 ... , i\.e "'•"'-"e.1. ...1 it ..~ ... e. ..-t 1111 •u1.~ -t ii\ ' °""'te" p•"ts • " < ""-c '-"iei .fa.. \.et r- ••• ,-4 .S p•Uel "'°' s.~·"· . . , M«, ..i f,,\. ""' ; "'4' O" el ~JI i +t.. '°"\.«'- +• -{. ._ iv < o~e•t ;t 1·,v«"S •"' c:t L.....tl•J ; .. The original of this sketch by bp Ni chol is in a notebook begun by the poet in 1966 and now ~ . ~ hel d i n an archive of Nichol's early …
Page 22
—~— As to what auguries attended his birth nothing is said. Perhaps it was simply that nothing of importance happened. december 67 the undated poem is found and forgotten passes like gas & hills bank of clouds no returns goodbye to this world so many bad beginnings you promise yourself you won’t start there …
Page 23
gold frame the windows i’'ve looked out your eyes years now saint and how itell you no things cannot measure thee motion oceans as in a western mode of thot enshrine the deeper blues moving into the edge of blackness the mind’s passage thru a weight of feeling is eternal your eyes? so many times ‘“now’’ occurs a charm fingering the present real the feel of colour in the fingers’ tips your hands questions words cannot …
Page 24
ot TN, v a ', Amw, e Y tag R S, PN I ™, Rkne., s g = 4’? ? b M, 2 s 00, 0 4 3 L o .‘i’ £ oinsnnn & 3 R ) « AL XYY 4 joy casts a tent in your midst hucksters strip your trees & leave centre poles fall in the ring saint and trips in a circle on his head face red eyes blue elephants drag your words over impossible hills into the valleys …
Page 25
the mouth takes up the feeling & confuses the fused words move out where the ears were a numbness grows flowers sweet smells dumb the lips saint and enshrined in organdy flows out the chimney no smoke blows it is a landscape without hearing a sea of cries the lies are simply the listening without …