On a New Generation
What may be born of the anxious union
Between perplexed man and irresolute woman
Is only, by this fertile speculation,
The either animal whose destiny
Differs from hers or his
By only the so many forepledged years
Of advance in irresolution or perplexity.
Yet the new girl more shines with herself
And the latest boy has a light in his head.
Not unlikely they will speak to each other
In a peculiar way and forget nature,
Then to fall quiet like a house no more haunted.
And in such silence may enough centuries fade
For all the loud births to be eloquently unmade.
Laura Riding, Selected Poems: In Five Sets
A word, now, as to Rimbaud's quitting poetry, and mine. In the poetic adventure, I had a structure of hope for shelter, whatever happened ; and my inspiration came from everywhere. He was inspired by desperation ; he flung it out, it narrowed fast back upon him, and would have destroyed him eventually had he not run away from it. For me, the essence of the adventure was in the words ; he used them as stuff from which to distil an elixir giving power to make happiness out of unhappiness.
Laura Riding, Selected Poems: In Five Sets
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What may be born of the anxious union
Between perplexed man and irresolute woman
Is only, by this fertile speculation,
The either animal whose destiny
Differs from hers or his
By only the so many forepledged years
Of advance in irresolution or perplexity.
Yet the new girl more shines with herself
And the latest boy has a light in his head.
Not unlikely they will speak to each other
In a peculiar way and forget nature,
Then to fall quiet like a house no more haunted.
And in such silence may enough centuries fade
For all the loud births to be eloquently unmade.
Laura Riding, Selected Poems: In Five Sets
- frank 5-05-2003 5:41 pm
A word, now, as to Rimbaud's quitting poetry, and mine. In the poetic adventure, I had a structure of hope for shelter, whatever happened ; and my inspiration came from everywhere. He was inspired by desperation ; he flung it out, it narrowed fast back upon him, and would have destroyed him eventually had he not run away from it. For me, the essence of the adventure was in the words ; he used them as stuff from which to distil an elixir giving power to make happiness out of unhappiness.
Laura Riding, Selected Poems: In Five Sets
- frank 5-05-2003 5:54 pm [add a comment]