[New-Poetry] Poems by others: Ernesto Cardenal, "Lights"

Paul Lake paul.lake at mail.atu.edu
Thu Jan 27 08:01:28 EST 2005 

Good point, Rosie.  I do wish I knew what some of the freed former
dissidents are now saying.  I know that things are still bad in Russia as
Putin takes the country further from democracy, but I haven Œt kept up very
well in politics in the post-Soviet era.  Before the fall of the Berlin
wall, I used to belong to Amnesty International, and when they sent members
the list of jailed dissidents and where to write to complain, I¹d make it my
business to write to help get the poets out of jail.  I can no longer even
remember the name of a woman poet who was freed shortly after the
letter-writing campaign began, just how glad I was that I¹d written a letter
and that she was let out.  I haven¹t kept up with Havel¹s recent writings or
statements, but I do know that he was a champion of freedom before and for
some time after the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe.  Human nature being
what it is, I¹m not surprised that the former Soviet states are still
suffering through political changes, not all of them toward freedom and
democracy.  

Best of luck,

Paul


On 1/27/05 1:47 PM, "Rosie Shkodrov" <shkodrov at yahoo.com> wrote:

> The sad part, Paul, is that I couldn't miss it. What is even sadder is that I
> had to live in it for about 35 years (and counting). Why is it sad? Because I
> don't see too many people to USE the history, but I see quite too many who
> willingly ABUSE it.
> 
>  
> 
> Speaking of the dissidents, there are enough of them who are still alive. Why
> don't you try to find what they have to say lately? Any comments on Havel?
> 
>  
> 
> Speaking about democracy, monarchy, etc... you may not be aware, but there is
> a new creature out there -- a Communist Monarchy. (This is how we call our
> political theater these days -- with an ex-socialist as a president and the
> ex-king as a prime minister. They are doing quite well together, as I can see,
> in the new Democratic state of BG.)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>>> >>It’s not as well written as the translation of the poem celebrating
>>> Communist guerrilla’s of Latin America, but it’s not quite as sentimental as
>>> that one either.<<
> 
>  
> 
> What IS it then?
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> (more -- bc)
> Rosie
> 
> Paul Lake <paul.lake at mail.atu.edu> wrote:
>> It’s hard to have a dialogue with someone who seemingly missed the history of
>> the last hundred years. I’m no expert on Communist tyranny, but it was so
>> ubiquitous and appalling for so many decades I couldn’t help noticing the
>> millions starved and murdered, the imprisoned and murdered poets, the
>> institutionalized dissidents, the murderous cultural revolutions . . . . Were
>> you asleep during that time. Your witty comment about the newly “crowned”
>> president suggests you also missed some Civics classes somewhere that
>> explained the differences between monarchs and elected leaders limited to two
>> 8 year terms.  I’d read the neo-romantic poem you reprint below.  It’s not as
>> well written as the translation of the poem celebrating Communist guerrilla’s
>> of Latin America, but it’s not quite as sentimental as that one either.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 1/26/05 3! :59 PM, "Rosie Shkodrov" <shkodrov at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Paul,
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> You sound like an expert of Communist tyranny, and I would be flattered and
>>> honored if you spend a few of your precious minutes (and words) to enlighten
>>> me a bit about this phenomenon. I would be more than glad to hear also
>>> something about your perception about the recent speech by the
>>> Freedom-Expanding-Man, who just got his crown (and who, btw I admire as one
>>> of the greatest neo-romantic poets of our cruel times...)
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Here is the greatest piece I have ever read (and how is it even possible not
>>> to fell in love with a person who is capable of such art?): Enjoy!
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Roses are red
>>> Violets are blue
>>> Oh my, lump in the bed
>>> How I've missed you.
>>> Roses are redder
>>> Bluer am I
>>> Seeing you kissed by that charming French guy.
>>> The dogs and the cat, they missed you too
>>> Barney's still mad you dropped him, he ate your shoe
>>> The distance, my dear, has been such a barrier
>>> N! ext time you want an adventure, just land on a carrier.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Oct. 2003
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> And lastly, I wonder what exactly bothers you in the "Lights"?
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> 
>>> Rosie  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Paul Lake <paul.lake at mail.atu.edu> wrote:
>>>> Shelley was a child of the Enlightenment, and the revolution he advocated
>>>> was for democratic, representative government--then a radical new
>>>> notion--not Communist tyranny.
>>>> 
>>>> Paul
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 1/26/05 2:10 PM, "The Old Mole" wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> > I'd rate Shelley pretty high, and he certainly wrote poetry that refused
>>>>> to
>>>>> > concede that romanticized
>>>>> > "revolution" will not cure the human ills it purports to. But then, I
>>>>> don't
>>>>> > have problems with seriously flawed poetry, any more than I have
>>>>> problems
>>>>> > with seriously flawed humanity.
>>>>> > 
>>>>> > 
>>>>> > Tad Richards
>>>>> > www.opus40.org
>>>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> > From: "Paul Lake"
>>>>> > To: "NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News & Views"
>>>>> > 
>>>>> > Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 7:54 AM
>>>> ! > Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Poems by others: Ernesto Cardenal, "Lights"
>>>>> > 
>>>>> > 
>>>>>> >> On 1/26/05 11:25 AM, "The Old M! ole" wrote:
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>>> >>> Paul - you can't mean to be suggesting that no poetry inspired by a
>>>>>>> >>> political ideology with which you disagree can be any good?
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> Is there good Nazi poetry?
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> Poetry that falsifies reality by not conceding that romanticized
>>>>>> >> "revolution" will cure the human ills it purports to is seriously
>>>>>> flawed
>>>>>> >> in
>>>>>> >> my opinion. I also get antsy when Virgil sings the praises of
>>>>>> Augustus,
>>>>>> >> if
>>>>>> >> that's any help.
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> You don't cure Fascism with Communism. It's like curing cancer with
>>>>>> AIDS.
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> Good poetry can be written on faulty political underpinnings, but
>>>>>> praises
>>>>>> >> to
>>>>>> >> mass murderers like Stalin and Mao (or mini-mes ! Castro and Che) make
me
>>>>>> >> queasy, likewise glorified "revolutions" that result in even greater
>>>>>> >> institutionalized oppression.
>>>> ! >> 
>>>>>> >> Yeats said it best:
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> The Great Day
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot!
>>>>>> >> A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot.
>>>>>> >> Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again.
>>>>>> >> The beggars have changed places, but the lash goes on.
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> ---
>>>>>> >> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> >> New-Poetry mailing list
>>>>>> >> New-Poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
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>>>>>> >> 
>>>>>> >> 
>>>>> > 
>>>>> > 
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>>>>> > 
>>>> 
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