Beach bum

Sam Pepys and me

Early up in the morning to read “The Seaman’s Grammar and Dictionary” I lately have got, which do please me exceeding well.
At the office all the morning, dined at home, and Mrs. Turner, The, Joyce, and Mr. Armiger, and my father and mother with me, where they stand till I was weary of their company and so away.
Then up to my chamber, and there set papers and things in order, and so to bed.

ear to the sea
a grammar of home and joy
father and mother

till weary
and away
to my paper-thin bed


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 13 March 1660/61.

Aboard

Sam Pepys and me

At the office about business all the morning, so to the Exchange, and there met with Nick Osborne lately married, and with him to the Fleece, where we drank a glass of wine. So home, where I found Mrs. Hunt in great trouble about her husband’s losing of his place in the Excise. From thence to Guildhall, and there set my hand to the book before Colonel King for my sea pay, and blessed be God! they have cast me at midshipman’s pay, which do make my heart very glad. So, home, and there had Sir W. Batten and my Lady and all their company and Capt. Browne and his wife to a collation at my house till it was late, and then to bed.

ice in a glass
sing to my hand

sea and ship make
my heart their own


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 12 March 1660/61.

Poetry Blog Digest 2024, Week 10

Poetry Blogging Network

A personal selection of posts from the Poetry Blogging Network and beyond. Although I tend to quote my favorite bits, please do click through and read the whole posts. You can also browse the blog digest archive, subscribe to its RSS feed in your favorite feed reader, or, if you’d like it in your inbox, subscribe on Substack.

This week: panic needles, jellyfish tentacles, the poem as a begging bowl, mixed mental arts, and more. Enjoy.

Continue reading “Poetry Blog Digest 2024, Week 10”

Wayfarers

Sam Pepys and me

At the office all the morning, dined at home and my father and Dr. Thos. Pepys with him upon a poor dinner, my wife being abroad. After dinner I went to the theatre, and there saw “Love’s Mistress” done by them, which I do not like in some things as well as their acting in Salsbury Court.
At night home and found my wife come home, and among other things she hath got her teeth new done by La Roche, and are indeed now pretty handsome, and I was much pleased with it. So to bed.

on a poor road
we eat well

bury our night in teeth
and pretty hands


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 11 March 1660/61.

Codependent

Sam Pepys and me

(Lord’s day). Heard Mr. Mills in the morning, a good sermon. Dined at home on a poor Lenten dinner of coleworts and bacon. In the afternoon again to church, and there heard one Castle, whom I knew of my year at Cambridge. He made a dull sermon.
After sermon came my uncle and aunt Wight to see us, and we sat together a great while. Then to reading and at night to bed.

lord in a poor castle
my rat and I

together
at night


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 10 March 1660/61.

Surf

Sam Pepys and me

To Whitehall and there with Mr. Creed took a most pleasant walk for two hours in the park, which is now a very fine place.
Here we had a long and candid discourse one to another of one another’s condition, and he giving me an occasion I told him of my intention to get 60l. paid me by him for a gratuity for my labour extraordinary at sea. Which he did not seem unwilling to, and therefore I am very glad it is out.
To my Lord’s, where we found him newly come from Hinchingbroke, where he left my uncle very well, but my aunt not likely to live.
I staid and dined with him. He took me aside, and asked me what the world spoke of the King’s marriage. Which I answering as one that knew nothing, he enquired no further of me. But I do perceive by it that there is something in it that is ready to come out that the world knows not of yet.
After dinner into London to Mrs. Turner’s and my father’s, made visits and then home, where I sat late making of my journal for four days past, and so to bed.

white wave on the sea
newly broke

like a world that knew
nothing of the world

turn home
making a bed


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Saturday 9 March 1660/61.

Mosquito-eater

Sam Pepys and me

All the morning at the office. At noon Sir W. Batten, Col. Slingsby and I by coach to the Tower, to Sir John Robinson’s, to dinner.
Where great good cheer. High company; among others the Duchess of Albemarle, who is ever a plain homely dowdy.
After dinner, to drink all the afternoon. Towards night the Duchess and ladies went away. Then we set to it again till it was very late. And at last came in Sir William Wale, almost fuddled; and because I was set between him and another, only to keep them from talking and spoiling the company (as we did to others), he fell out with the Lieutenant of the Tower; but with much ado we made him under stand his error, and then all quiet. And so he carried Sir William Batten and I home again in his coach, and so I almost overcome with drink went to bed.
I was much contented to ride in such state into the Tower, and be received among such high company, while Mr. Mount, my Lady Duchess’s gentleman usher, stood waiting at table, whom I ever thought a man so much above me in all respects.
Also to hear the discourse of so many high Cavaliers of things past. It was a great content and joy to me.

bat in a tower of night
I am almost an error

the quiet carried me
over a waiting thought

so much above me to hear
so many high things


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Friday 8 March 1660/61.

Mourning Cloak

moss like sadness
hiding old wounds

a mourning cloak butterfly
touches down

accompanied by a hydraulic drill
hammering at the quarry

and the screech of steel
from a passing coal train

the butterfly’s dark wings
edged in white look immaculate

after months secluded under
some loose flap of bark

all systems shut down
cells flooded with antifreeze

now come miraculously back
to green unshaded moss

waiting for the sun to open
her bluest wings
of pure grief

Spokesperson

Sam Pepys and me

This morning Sir Williams both went to Woolwich to sell some old provisions there.
I to Whitehall, and up and down about many businesses. Dined at my Lord’s, then to Mr. Crew to Mr. Moore, and he and I to London to Guildhall to see the seamen paid off, but could not without trouble, and so I took him to the Fleece tavern, where the pretty woman that Luellin lately told me the story of dwells, but I could not see her.
Then towards home and met Spicer, D. Vines, Ruddiard, and a company more of my old acquaintance, and went into a place to drink some ale, and there we staid playing the fool till late, and so I home.
At home met with ill news that my hopes of getting some money for the Charles were spoiled through Mr. Waith’s perverseness, which did so vex me that I could not sleep at night. But I wrote a letter to him to send to-morrow morning for him to take my money for me, and so with good words I thought to coy with him. To bed.

I sell visions
about any sin without
too pretty a story

but I see the war more
my old acquaintance
in drink

playing with ill news
getting the spoil
into good words


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Thursday 7 March 1660/61.

Fog-bound

Sam Pepys and me

At the office all the morning. At dinner Sir W. Batten came and took me and my wife to his house to dinner, my Lady being in the country, where we had a good Lenten dinner.
Then to Whitehall with Captn. Cuttle, and there I did some business with Mr. Coventry, and after that home, thinking to have had Sir W. Batten, &c., to have eat a wigg at my house at night. But my Lady being come home out of the country ill by reason of much rain that has fallen lately, and the waters being very high, we could not, and so I home and to bed.

morning came
in a white wig

a country of rain
fallen late and high


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 6 March 1660/61.