Purveyors of fine poetry since 2003.
Starting January 1, 2013, this is a daily exercise in erasure poetry based on the 17th-century Diary of Samuel Pepys. Why this work? Its language is admirably concrete, with recurring words and turns of phrase shaped by the exigencies of Pepys’ original shorthand. In thought and content it stands at the beginning of the modern era: the first truly confessional piece of literature by a man equally fascinated by religion and science, and whose curiosity encompassed everything from music-making and theater to mathematics, accounting, politics, fashion, and carnal pleasures. And last but not least, the 1899 Wheatley edition is available online in a website that is really a model for how to present literature on the web. It was my desire to read it day by day that led to this project, which I view not as erasure but as discovery—a kind of deep (mis)reading. Pepys was a sexual predator and an architect of British colonialism who personally profited off the slave trade, so any less than an engaged, critical reading of the diary, in this day and age, would be irresponsible. From a secret diary, these are the secret poems hidden even from the author himself.
I began compiling the erasures into free ebooks in 2017. Here are 1664, 1665, 1666, 1667, 1668 and 1669, and from my second attempt, here are 1660, 1661, and 1662.
[I troubled my hands
with rogue handwriting.
Let posterity know how
the King desired coffee.
I heard for certain that
it would prove small pleasure.
I gave a bottle of mist
at a great loss.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 9 January 1659/60
[Christ was a carpenter,
my wife, one coal of fire,
my father a bell.
A strange doctor stayed the death of tomorrow.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 8 January 1659/60
[At my office, a rabbit,
at cards, the French ambassador,
at cards, Dr. Whores:
I performed, and put in
at my Lord’s lodgings late.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Saturday 7 January 1659/60
[I eat a cold goose and palpable beef, which was
not handsome. I fiddled a good while
and went away, calling on the wench,
took a good supper and a brave cake.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Friday 6 January 1659/60
[I dined upon his turkey-pie and told the prince
to eat a sack-posset. Playing with my lanthorn,
I found a girl and went home.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Thursday 5 January 1659/60
[Hawly brought a piece of his Cheshire cheese, and we were merry with it.
I took the swan for my pay, swelled with strange talk.
Chilling at home, I could not get laid.
I found viols and sat with them, much troubled.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 4 January 1659/60
[Frost soldiers receive dark company: that dead lady, Money.
They all called home and found me.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 3 January 1659/60
[In the sack, I speak with the Lord,
nothing that my head would house for free;
fill the old thinking cup with cribbage.
My singing proves a very bad wind.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 2 January 1659/60 (Yes, this is going to be a series, I think)
[Blessed pain, I lived in Axe Yard
disturbed by the river, an army without desires,
handsome but poor;
worn chapel of time, made this day.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 1 January 1659/60