Dick, reading your comment reminded me that in college more than 50 years ago, I did an interpretive reading of James Weldon Johnson’s poem, Creation. While I read the poem, a friend was on stage dancing to the poem. Thanks for the memory.
Wonderful poetry as always Dick. I did a small squeal reading this because I wrote a poem about dancing this week. And it has so much of the sentiment of yours. How can that be?!? It is buried in my journal and would likely never have been uncovered but you have nudged me to dig it back out. And I will. Thank you x
Awww thankyou Nelly - really appreciate it. Hehe - love it when that happens - a bit of real world synchronicity. If you do something with the poem make sure and let me know, I'd love to read it. :-)
I find myself using hand gestures and other movements when really getting into reciting a poem. She was onto something, I think.
“O chestnut tree, great rooted blossomer, Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole? O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?”
What a beautiful post Dick. I have a real affinity with poetry from this era. The female poets and male. There is such evocative imagery I relate to. Is timeless. Thanks so much for sharing. You do amazing, (amazing!) work, and this Substack community is ever grateful.
Awwww thanks so so much Síodhna - really appreciate yr comment! Yeah, obviously I feel the same too haha. There's really something about this period of poetry for me too. Something fresh and explosive!
Oh I love this posting! Beautiful poems and delightful image in my mind watching her twirl. Thank you for introducing me to these poems.
Such a pleasure Wren! So glad you enjoyed them. 🖤
# 2 is my favorite, especially these lines.
Oh! wind,
the cooling rush of air,
that fans my hair,
when you are rough
I love you.
I also like the concept of dancing to poetry.
Aw cheers Harley. Absolutely - poetry as a dance of words, dance as a body-poetic. So wonderful. 🖤
Dick, reading your comment reminded me that in college more than 50 years ago, I did an interpretive reading of James Weldon Johnson’s poem, Creation. While I read the poem, a friend was on stage dancing to the poem. Thanks for the memory.
Sounds wonderful Harley - thanks for sharing the memory! The power of poetry huh. It spans lifetimes.
Wonderful poetry as always Dick. I did a small squeal reading this because I wrote a poem about dancing this week. And it has so much of the sentiment of yours. How can that be?!? It is buried in my journal and would likely never have been uncovered but you have nudged me to dig it back out. And I will. Thank you x
Awww thankyou Nelly - really appreciate it. Hehe - love it when that happens - a bit of real world synchronicity. If you do something with the poem make sure and let me know, I'd love to read it. :-)
I've missed catching up with your posts, Dick. You can feel the excitement in the poems and the summaries/critiques from the day.
Aw cheers Rod - lovely to see you! Yeah, agree so much - there is a lot of excitement in the summaries and critiques. Really fills me with joy!
The gifts that posts such as yours, keep giving me. Introducing me to poets I had never heard of. So very delightful!
Aw thankyou so much Dena - your comment means heaps! I try to think of the newsletter through the lens of "gifting" which makes it even more lovely.
I find myself using hand gestures and other movements when really getting into reciting a poem. She was onto something, I think.
“O chestnut tree, great rooted blossomer, Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole? O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?”
– William Butler Yeats
Yeah totally! Love that William Butler Yeats quote - wonderful!
I love the imagery here, too. So full of movement and feeling. An excitement and love. You feel it with her.
Ohhh such a lovely way of putting it Deborah - full of movement and feeling, excitement and love. Wonderful!
Dillon's embrace and amplification of the physical sensations at a time when women were expected to eschew them is especially impressive.
Absolutely agree! Lovely way of putting it.
What a beautiful post Dick. I have a real affinity with poetry from this era. The female poets and male. There is such evocative imagery I relate to. Is timeless. Thanks so much for sharing. You do amazing, (amazing!) work, and this Substack community is ever grateful.
Awwww thanks so so much Síodhna - really appreciate yr comment! Yeah, obviously I feel the same too haha. There's really something about this period of poetry for me too. Something fresh and explosive!