Rower

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Rower
‘I love the movement in water
The glide by of green ditch
And birdsong above the swish

And clip of oar and the pull
Into the breeze, and my body
Electric with the sweat and strain

Of muscle; my boat as water
Dart aiming for the invisible
Line just above the green grey

Horizon; the collapse into the numb
Stun moment when I don’t yet
Feel the pain of victory or defeat’.

[Cate]

man/boat/water - all one

I liked this very much Jimmy. I liked the sounds and images, most of all I like how it captures the feeling of what it would like to 'row'.

[lizzytysh]

And isn't messing about in rowboats a special love of yours, Cate?


It's been a long time since I've been in a rowboat, Jimmy. The closest was a kayak, which involved that paddling motion.
You capture the feeling of the oar in the water and the pull of it all. I remember feeling very satisfied with that in a rowboat, though fear is what dominates in a kayak for me. Only been in one once, and had that anxiety regarding tipping that was never there in a rowboat.

I love the feeling this poem gave me, and Cat's comment about man/boat/water - all one is spot on with how you've constructed this sweet poem of movement.

[Sideways]

"Hello Petal" I said
"hello Flower" he replied

and then he added
"I really need to water you - (pause)
...from the inside"

"thanks for the invitation",
my dutiful response,
and then I cried

he began to touch me - (paws)
a show of power,
he argued his right
to call me "flower",
we quarreled all night
he's a formidable rower

and then I cried

[Sideways]

"Hello Petal" I said
"hello Flower" he replied

and then he added
"I really need to water you - (pause)
...from the inside"

"thanks for the invitation",
my dutiful response,
and then I cried

he began to touch me - (paws)
a show of power,
he argued his right
to call me "flower",
we quarreled all night
he's a formidable rower

and then I cried

This is close to Genius, and not just from an ironing perspective.

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Thank you all for your comments.
... and thank you Sideways....
not sure if you are on the right thread.....
but I am happy if your poem of 'genius' has been inspired, prompted by my own genial effort.

Jimmy

[Sideways]

Thank you all for your comments.
... and thank you Sideways....
not sure if you are on the right thread.....
but I am happy if your poem of 'genius' has been inspired, prompted by my own genial effort.

Jimmy

How nice to see you, Jimmy. You may not know this but there was quite a dispute between Jarkko on the one hand and Leonard on the other, as to whether there should be a Forum solely for all matters concerning Ironing. As a semi-amateur performer, and rather famous, and very sexy, I was consulted directly by Leonard, by telepathy, on several different occasions when I was asleep. He advised me to keep pressing the issue and to post helpful responses to as many posts as I can manage to post, not before the post was posted but post posting. He said if I don't maintain that approach I will soon be post, and with no butter. But I didn't know what the hell he was talking about, butter it sounded like it all came from his post-erior. He added that just like Joseph's dream in the bagel there will be 12 good years and then there will be 12 years of Johnny Goldsmith causing famine across the land.

I trust you find this helpful for your writing.

[Cate]

And isn't messing about in rowboats a special love of yours, Cate?

it certainly was as a child Lizzy and I hope that I still carry a little piece of that with me. I wish I had tried rowing (I suppose I still could), messing about in rowboats/canoes clears the mind in one way, the focus Jimmy describes in his poem would give a similar result but in a different way.

Sue - that is quite a row that you and your petal had (rower/flower - clever word play lady).

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Yes, Sideways...
most helpful...
ironing will never be he same, naked or fully clothed...

However, my own preference would be brown toast with lashings of Kerrygold butter and Chivers' marmalade...
I find bagels,especially New York bagels, a little chewy....
Must be the water....

[Sideways]

I dont think that the bagel tasteth different should you eat it whilst rowing in the water

[Geoffrey]

I dont think that the bagel tasteth different should you eat it whilst rowing in the water

bagels are great with bacon

[Jimmy O'Connell]

New York water has not been the same since the Manhattan tribe rowed out.
The New York bagel has been doughy-chewy ever since.

Now, Baltimore do produce a very tasty bagel.
The Chesapeake waters have been rowed upon with very different results.

[lizzytysh]

Brilliant response to the inane and pointless side-tracking hijacking of your thread and well done poem, Jimmy.

[Cate]

Now, Baltimore do produce a very tasty bagel.
The Chesapeake waters have been rowed upon with very different results.

ahhh but have you tried a Montreal bagel?
I think that I would be remiss not to point out (especially on a Leonard Cohen forum) that they are by far the best. The hole is even just the right size to fry a little egg in it - a perfect dinner after a long day.

I think that it is possible that Leonard keeps a house in Montreal simply so that he will have easy access to good bagels.

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Cate, I'll row along with that...