[Bruce McBirney]

David Mason has a lovely, reflective poem, "The Bay of Writing," in the July 30 issue of the Times Literary Supplement. The poem concerns the writing yet to come, and its inspiration in the writing that went before--in this case, the Greek tradition from Sappho to Seferis. Well worth a look.

[Richard Wakefield]

Let this be further impetus for all of you to buy David's "Arrivals." You'll be glad you did.
RPW

[Tim Murphy]

Oh way to go, Dave!

[Chris Childers]

Hey, that's really cool, I'll have to get to the library to check it out. Congrats man!

[FOsen]

I'd like to echo Richard. I've been rereading "Arrivals" and each time finding more things I enjoy in it.

Frank

[Len Krisak]

A fine accomplishment,
Dave!

As with so many of these items in
the Sphere, I have to ask if
there's any chance of your sharing
it with us now that TLS has had it
out in hard copy for a while.

[David Mason]

I haven't received my copy of the TLS yet either, but I'll type the poem in here:

The Bay of Writing

"And I with only a reed in my hands."
-George Seferis

The reed, dried and cut, could make a pan-pipe
on an idle day. I say the word again,
kalamus, that early pen, from breezy
leaf to leaves of nervy writing--Sappho,
Archilochos, their fingering lines,
a silent music till our voices find it.

In retrospect I walk among those trees,
polled mulberries no longer home to silkworms,
the crone-like olives, upright cypresses
above the hammered metal of the bay
called Kalamitsi. There the lazy hours
watching the ant roads through the summer straw

taught me the frantic diligence of mind,
the way it ferries breadcrumbs and small seeds
fast fast to its storehouse in reedy shade.
The way the hand rests on an open book
I've disappeared into, takes up a pen
and traces letters in a trail of words.

Kalamus, Kalamitsi, bay of reeds,
music of everything I have not written.

[Robt_Ward]

Oh, very nice, David. I like it. Lots.

"everything I have not written..." sigh.

I had a poem once that echoed the same thing: "Words whirled, the white words, vanish without trace." You did it better

By far.

Robt.

[Terese Coe]

Just saw it today in the TLS. Impressed with the easily integrated weaving of the Greek, and especially

The way the hand rests on an open book
I've disappeared into, takes up a pen
and traces letters in a trail of words.

Yes! (And there were italics on the Greek in the TLS.)

Congratulations, Dave!

Terese

[David Mason]

Thanks, friends. It feels pretty small right now. My wife and I were with her mother in hospice when she died Friday night before midnight. We had been caring for her the lst six years, so this will take a major adjustment. I'll try to get back to the Deep End soon.

Dave