A poignant delight, especially the ballgame analogy. This interview reminds me uncannily of Mark Strand’s poem “Old Man Leaves Party,” which I love more on each return. I think you’ll love it too, if you don’t already.
A poignant delight, especially the ballgame analogy. This interview reminds me uncannily of Mark Strand’s poem “Old Man Leaves Party,” which I love more on each return. I think you’ll love it too, if you don’t already.
A poignant delight, especially the ballgame analogy. This interview reminds me uncannily of Mark Strand’s poem “Old Man Leaves Party,” which I love more on each return. I think you’ll love it too, if you don’t already.
Rona, you prompted me to look up Mark Strand's "Old Man Leave's Party"—a beauty:
It was clear when I left the party
That though I was over eighty I still had
A beautiful body. The moon shone down as it will
On moments of deep introspection. The wind held its breath.
And look, somebody left a mirror leaning against a tree.
Making sure that I was alone, I took off my shirt.
The flowers of bear grass nodded their moonwashed heads.
I took off my pants and the magpies circled the redwoods.
Down in the valley the creaking river was flowing once more.
How strange that I should stand in the wilds alone with my body.
I know what you are thinking. I was like you once. But now
With so much before me, so many emerald trees, and
Weed-whitened fields, mountains and lakes, how could I not
Be only myself, this dream of flesh, from moment to moment?
Oh that is wonderful