Workings of bpNichol's
A NEW INTRODUCTIONbpNichol called Translating Translating Apollinaire a "Research Report," developed by exploring the possible permutations of his first published poem, "Translating Apollinaire." Here is the base poem:
Icharrus winging up Simon the Magician from Judea high in a tree, everyone reaching for the sun great towers of stone built by the Aztecs, tearing their hearts out to offer them, wet and beating mountains, cold wind, Macchu Piccu hiding in the sun unfound for centuries cars whizzing by, sun thru trees passing, a dozen new wave films, flickering on drivers' glasses flat on their backs in the grass a dozen bodies slowly turning brown sun glares off the pages, "soleil cou coupé", rolls in my window flat on my back on the floor becoming aware of it for an instant
You'll find a good deal of the first TTA volume reproduced at this site. The book included not only Nichol's first workings of the poem, but some of the poems in TTA 29, a section of workings by other people. Barrie's introduction ends:
Well, I really wish I could reach him, but he is gone. I've changed the press name to Light and Dust, and, after some soul-searching and consultation with Eleanor Nichol, it seems right to continue this part of the project, at least on some level - partly as a memorial to a great poet and a great friend, partly as a simple continuation of his project. It also seems appropriate that I do so on the World Wide Web, a medium I'm sure he would have loved.
- Any writer who wishes to submit a version of TTA 4 for inclusion in TTA 29 is invited to do so & can reach me c/o Membrane Press.
So far about 40 people have either contributed to the project or have contributions in progress. Those whom I have asked to participate work in different modes, from web-specific to mail art to visual poetry to lexical poetry. And so it should continue, diverse, pluralistic, inclusive. Work by some of these contributors appears in this first on-line group. I will upload more in the following months. I won't accept work from anyone not already contacted while I'm doing this, but will go on to another round in the summer or fall. This is not a static project, nor should it be, but one that grows.
The first section, by Hart Broudy, appeared in the print edition. bp had encouraged Broudy, as he had encouraged many poets. For some reason, however, despite the great promise of the work he did for a few years, Broudy ceased writing, or ceased publishing. I've tried to locate him, initially to invite him to contribute to Light and Dust Poets, but without success. A friend says he stopped writing because he became discouraged with his work and its lack of an audience. I have selected this work as a transition piece from print to web because it seems to me the best of the guest works that appeared in the print edition. It is also an invitation for Broudy to resume work. Following in bp's footprints, it is also a way of asking those who have become discouraged - for whatever reason - to start again. With many projects, including TTA, Barrie liked to start over again from square one. For those who have not started, now is as good a time as any.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Return to Light and Dust poets.
Return to Kaldron.
Go to bpNichol's Translating Translating Apollinaire.
This is a cooperative presentation of Kaldron
and Light and Dust Mobile Anthology of Poetry.