Three Pagan Poems

John Weir

Description

The three works in this trilogy have no titles but have become known for convenience as The Empty House, A Voice of Time and The Lady Circled.The words were created as part of a collaborative work for exhibition with the visual artist, Graham White, and they have little to do with transient notions of the spoken word or performance poetry. Instead, they invite the viewer or reader to enter personally into the unfolding narrative core of each piece and to reflect upon the accumulating images in order to arrive by contemplation at an unfiltered individual response to the poems' themes and challenges.

Sujets

• Poetry

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 30 septembre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528958202
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Three Pagan Poems
John Weir
Austin Macauley Publishers
2020-09-30
Three Pagan Poems About the Author Dedication Copyright Information Acknowledgment the empty house frame 1 frame 2 frame 3 frame 4 frame 5 frame 6 frame 7 frame 8 frame 9 frame 10 frame 11 frame 12 frame 13 a voice of time the lady circled beginning middle end
About the Author
John Weir studied creative writing and drama at Crewe and Alsager. He has worked in creative education in several countries in Europe, although he thinks of himself principally as “just a jobbing bass player with an interest in myth, ritual and the esoteric”. He lives in an old farm tucked away in a peaceful part of the French countryside.
Dedication
To Jane.
Copyright Information ©
John Weir (2020)
The right of John Weir to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
This is a poetry book, which is a product of the author’s imagination. It reflects the author’s recollections of experiences over time. Any resemblance to other works of poetry, quotes, slogans, to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528906227 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528958202 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2020)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgment
I am indebted to many friends, family, acquaintances and even people I have never met but two above all: to my father, James Weir, whose immense integrity and deep love of language laid the foundations for my life and work and to my close friend and collaborator, Graham White, a visual artist and musician of extraordinary insight and ability.
the empty house
frame 1
enter here
and then
be still
to listen to the written will
within this script
there are
instructions
with intentions
and the final wishes of your father
and in this script
is your
inheritance
you will receive
one dwelling house
surrounded by a garden
begin here
now
and go
and following the gravelled path
the path
will lead you
through the ancient orchard
and beyond
the garden
in the moisture
of the morning
enter in
you can begin
you can begin
again
frame 2
as the blossom drops
on the gravel path
it seems
some other person may have passed
before
the silent imprints
outlined
pressed
into the gravel
on the narrow path
approach
enter
and engage
in the adventure
this house
is not for sale
this home
is given
live in it
it is your place
now
to be
a large house
almost hidden
and at times
unseen obscure
and at some distance
from the everyday road
of any ordinary day
this distant house
may not be known
to you
and if you wish
you can live
here
frame 3
dripping inheritance
dripping
in the moisture
of the morning
dripping
in the residue rain
rippling
on the broken pane
paint
splintered cracked
so go beyond
the ancient orchard
through the garden
and on the path
the rain drips
gently
on the gravel
in the imprints
of some yesterday
and what is in all this
this
inheritance
and what will
willed all this
and all of this
to these new newcomers
enter
here
here is the door
try this
and if you turn and find
that this key fits
then enter in
within
this door
is your inheritance
frame 4
and at the entrance
what is
promised
what is
asked
what answers
haunt the opening
of this opening
door
inside
some things have been
removed
but much remains
and all may be
just
as it has been
just
as it once was
all this
as it now is
is left to you
enter
and discover
and engage
in the adventure
and so
approach the threshold
approach
and enter
this present
almost hidden
almost empty house
so full of shadows
full
of other people
frame 5
the key clicks
push
and papers brush the dust
a drift of dust
shifting
in the silent stillness
old words
lost
in the covering dust
no longer read
no longer understood
and in the entrance
as the light meets
momentary gloom
and eyes adjust
to meet
another sharper sense
of seeing
this is
much more much
bigger
than our expectations
which door
to open
in our anticipation
where do we start
there are
so many many
doors
so many many
rooms
step in
frame 6
and in this almost empty hall
stillness
filled with photos
family
infants
tiny children singing
in the garden
hanging
in the dust
on the silent walls
and on the walls
on faded paper
frames
of fading photographs
old poses
faces
from the frames
watching
who are you
and who are you
and you and you
you newcomer
and who is this
and who is this
and who is this
this person
staring
in the silent photograph
who is this spirit
staring
in the photograph
and ancestors
inquisitive
whispering
you are so much
like me
a different dress
perhaps
a different pose
a different dream
frame 7
silence
in the waiting air
listen
phantoms stir
against the silence
faces
frozen in the frames
watching
silent eyes
imprisoned in the glass
and asking
who are you
you newcomer
come
to take my place
phantoms
hanging in the waiting space
between the silence
and the waiting word
all is still
within the aching space
listen
listen
phantoms hanging
struggling
against the unexpected
broken dust
listen
something struggles
pressed
against the face
against the glass
and phantoms
silent staring
stifled
struggling to speak
into the dark
and almost empty space
frame 8
stand still
stand
still
and listen
ancestors
cal