Purveyors of fine poetry since 2003.
Original poetry, translations and videopoems by the authors of this blog. (See Poets and poetry for criticism, etc.)
There’s that plucked
melody again, the same
but different, space
of a water drop between
two notes then five,
returning but not
to the same stone
rough shod and green
as a lizard’s skin—
pick it up
and turn it over:
yes like that.
In response to an entry from the Morning Porch.
Home all the morning. Several people came to me about business, among others the great Tom Fuller, who came to desire a kindness for a friend of his, who hath a mind to go to Jamaica with these two ships that are going, which I promised to do.
So to Whitehall to my Lady, whom I found at dinner and dined with her, and staid with her talking all the afternoon, and thence walked to Westminster Hall. So to Will’s, and drank with Spicer, and thence by coach home, staying a little in Paul’s Churchyard, to bespeak Ogilby’s Æsop’s Fables and Tully’s Officys to be bound for me. So home and to bed.
Desire is a mind
with two ships in it.
I stayed with her
and walked—
staying in a fable,
bound for bed.
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Saturday 5 January 1660/61.
“In the daytime also he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a light of fire….”
~ The Psalms 78
Under that flank
I can touch, a ripple
that grows to my fingers
with a bulge like a fig—
Quicken is the way
night turns, rapid
as the valance
of morning. Sh sh
say the birds
in the tree,
purpling sonnets
and psalms for silence—
No need to drink
that poison. No need
to lie down and cry.
Nothing is wasted,
my dearest love;
nothing is lost.
Come out now and eat
the sugar from the offered
hand; bite of apple,
salt of the bridle
leading again to the gate
and the track beyond.
Office all the morning, my wife and Pall being gone to my father’s to dress dinner for Mr. Honiwood, my mother being gone out of town. Dined at home, and Mr. Moore with me, with whom I had been early this morning at White Hall, at the Jewell Office, to choose a piece of gilt plate for my Lord, in return of his offering to the King (which it seems is usual at this time of year, and an Earl gives twenty pieces in gold in a purse to the King). I chose a gilt tankard, weighing 31 ounces and a half, and he is allowed 30; so I paid 12s. for the ounce and half over what he is to have; but strange it was for me to see what a company of small fees I was called upon by a great many to pay there, which, I perceive, is the manner that courtiers do get their estates.
After dinner Mr. Moore and I to the Theatre, where was “The Scornful Lady,” acted very well, it being the first play that ever he saw. Thence with him to drink a cup of ale at Hercules Pillars, and so parted. I called to see my father, who told me by the way how Will and Mary Joyce do live a strange life together, nothing but fighting, &c., so that sometimes her father has a mind to have them divorced. Thence home.
All the wood is white.
An earl gives the king
a gilt tank.
We of small estates
play Hercules
and live a strange life—
nothing but fighting.
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Friday 4 January 1660/61.
no mere copper
flattened at a poorly
lit rest stop in a town
in the middle of mid-
America— No plush
toy lifted by pincers
from a glassed-in
bin for the price
of a wish for as long
as you have three
quarters to push
into the slot. Go
outside and breathe
the cold air, check
how the dark still
threshes the brightest
stars before you buckle
in for the ride again,
past house after house:
some identical as slats
in a picket fence, some
marked with just the faintest
thumbprint of curry escaping
from a kitchen window, one
whose gutter has been replaced
by cups of linked metal
in a rain chain.
In response to Via Negativa: Belated Christmas letter.
Early in the morning to the Exchequer, where I told over what money I had of my Lord’s and my own there, which I found to be 970l. Thence to Will’s, where Spicer and I eat our dinner of a roasted leg of pork which Will did give us, and after that to the Theatre, where was acted “Beggars’ Bush,” it being very well done; and here the first time that ever I saw women come upon the stage. From thence to my father’s, where I found my mother gone by Bird, the carrier, to Brampton, upon my uncle’s great desire, my aunt being now in despair of life. So home.
What money I own I give
to beggars—the first time
I saw women age.
I found my mother gone
by bird, a great desire
now despair of life.
Om.
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Thursday 3 January 1660/61.
In response to an entry from the Morning Porch.
Up early, and being called up to my Lord he did give me many commands in his business. As about taking care to write to my uncle that Mr. Barnewell’s papers should be locked up, in case he should die, he being now suspected to be very ill. Also about consulting with Mr. W. Montagu for the settling of the 4000l. a year that the King had promised my Lord. As also about getting of Mr. George Montagu to be chosen at Huntingdon this next Parliament, &c.
That done he to White Hall stairs with much company, and I with him; where we took water for Lambeth, and there coach for Portsmouth.
The Queen’s things were all in White Hall Court ready to be sent away, and her Majesty ready to be gone an hour after to Hampton Court to-night, and so to be at Portsmouth on Saturday next.
I by water to my office, and there all the morning, and so home to dinner, where I found Pall (my sister) was come; but I do not let her sit down at table with me, which I do at first that she may not expect it hereafter from me. After dinner I to Westminster by water, and there found my brother Spicer at the Leg with all the rest of the Exchequer men (most of whom I now do not know) at dinner. Here I staid and drank with them, and then to Mr. George Montagu about the business of election, and he did give me a piece in gold; so to my Lord’s and got the chest of plate brought to the Exchequer, and my brother Spicer put it into his treasury. So to Will’s with them to a pot of ale, and so parted.
I took a turn in the Hall, and bought the King and Chancellor’s speeches at the dissolving the Parliament last Saturday.
So to my Lord’s, and took my money I brought ‘thither last night and the silver candlesticks, and by coach left the latter at Alderman Backwell’s, I having no use for them, and the former home. There stood a man at our door, when I carried it in, and saw me, which made me a little afeard.
Up to my chamber and wrote letters to Huntingdon and did other business.
This day I lent Sir W. Batten and Captn. Rider my chine of beef for to serve at dinner tomorrow at Trinity House, the Duke of Albemarle being to be there and all the rest of the Brethren, it being a great day for the reading over of their new Charter, which the King hath newly given them.
An ape should be locked up
in case he should die.
Do not sit down,
my brother Leg,
my brother Stick!
The latter I carried and feared—
of all brethren, the king.
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 2 January 1660/61.
“It did not please him…” ~ D. Bonta
We assure you, the zipper that wouldn’t zip wasn’t mocking your mechanical skill set.
Unfortunately, mold can sometimes grow in a package supposedly vacuum-sealed at the factory. How many miles do you imagine it had to travel to get to your table in Foghorn, Alaska? And how do you know what was pressed next to it in that crowded grocery shelf?
There is some variance in general opinion with regard to the one minute rule, or the three minute rule. So it fell under the table. If it didn’t land in dog poop and the kid looks fine, you can probably stop screaming.
Let’s take a minute right here to go over what really upset you. First of all this young woman was nursing her baby under a tastefully printed shawl covering both her shoulders and bodice— Was it the ikat print that you couldn’t understand?
If you want to go ahead and throw the rest of the bottle in the trash, it’s up to you. But I have to let you know we won’t issue a refill until three days before your next schedule.
I’m sorry it wasn’t delivered to your apartment’s physical specifications, which we did not have at the time of order and purchase. Would you prefer to have the manager shot?
There are some things we can reassure you of: the warranty and warranty renewal plans typically expire the day before you experience a major product breakdown.
In response to Via Negativa: Faux pas.
At the end of the last and the beginning of this year, I do live in one of the houses belonging to the Navy Office, as one of the principal officers, and have done now about half a year. After much trouble with workmen I am now almost settled; my family being, myself, my wife, Jane, Will. Hewer, and Wayneman, my girle’s brother.
Myself in constant good health, and in a most handsome and thriving condition. Blessed be Almighty God for it. I am now taking of my sister to come and live with me. As to things of State.—The King settled, and loved of all. The Duke of York matched to my Lord Chancellor’s daughter, which do not please many. The Queen upon her return to France with the Princess Henrietta. The Princess of Orange lately dead, and we into new mourning for her.
We have been lately frighted with a great plot, and many taken up on it, and the fright not quite over. The Parliament, which had done all this great good to the King, beginning to grow factious, the King did dissolve it December 29th last, and another likely to be chosen speedily.
I take myself now to be worth 300l. clear in money, and all my goods and all manner of debts paid, which are none at all.
Called up this morning by Mr. Moore, who brought me my last things for me to sign for the last month, and to my great comfort tells me that my fees will come to 80l. clear to myself, and about 25l. for him, which he hath got out of the pardons, though there be no fee due to me at all out of them.
Then comes in my brother Thomas, and after him my father, Dr. Thomas Pepys, my uncle Fenner and his two sons (Anthony’s only child dying this morning, yet he was so civil to come, and was pretty merry) to breakfast; and I had for them a barrel of oysters, a dish of neat’s tongues, and a dish of anchovies, wine of all sorts, and Northdown ale. We were very merry till about eleven o’clock, and then they went away.
At noon I carried my wife by coach to my cozen, Thomas Pepys, where we, with my father, Dr. Thomas, cozen Stradwick, Scott, and their wives, dined. Here I saw first his second wife, which is a very respectfull woman, but his dinner a sorry, poor dinner for a man of his estate, there being nothing but ordinary meat in it. To-day the King dined at a lord’s, two doors from us. After dinner I took my wife to Whitehall, I sent her to Mrs. Pierces (where we should have dined today), and I to the Privy Seal, where Mr. Moore took out all his money, and he and I went to Mr. Pierces; in our way seeing the Duke of York bring his Lady this day to wait upon the Queen, the first time that ever she did since that great business; and the Queen is said to receive her now with much respect and love; and there he cast up the fees, and I told the money, by the same token one 100l. bag, after I had told it, fell all about the room, and I fear I have lost some of it.
That done I left my friends and went to my Lord’s, but he being not come in I lodged the money with Mr. Shepley, and bade good night to Mr. Moore, and so returned to Mr. Pierces, and there supped with them, and Mr. Pierce, the purser, and his wife and mine, where we had a calf’s head carboned, but it was raw, we could not eat it, and a good hen. But she is such a slut that I do not love her victualls.
After supper I sent them home by coach, and I went to my Lord’s and there played till 12 at night at cards at Best with J. Goods and N. Osgood, and then to bed with Mr. Shepley.
This year, trouble settled
in with me, and I mourn
the dying of tongues
and ordinary doors.
Time is no old token.
I have lost friends and
a calf’s head at cards.
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 1 January 1660/61.