When reading this I hope you have the similar reaction to that of Guy Davenport who when reading Goethe sometimes felt a "paralyzing suspicion that [Goethe was] trying to be funny." We can't all be funny, and naturally, I am not. I AM NOT amusing I tell myself, and then I lie and tell myself I am because I need to believe in myself. I like to think that I am like Jarod in The Pretender--I can be anything, do anything, all while singing to the tune of "Anything you can do I can do better. Yes I can!". Far from it I am, BUT when hijacked by ink and paper, or a keyboard and shiny computer screen--and chocolate, don't forget the chocolate--I actually can go anywhere, do anything...and do it better. At least in my head, pixie dust aside. Wait! Let me just warn you I am wrong, partly. The answer...you see, its...it takes more than...
It's around here somewhere...
Maybe under this manuscript...
Nope!
Between and betwixt Tink and Wendy? Oh yes, no one wants to know what is between those two...its obvious, besides...Oh gosh, get your mind out of the gutter! Jealousy, always jealousy--that green giant. You're just jealous of Goethe now are you?
Ah! YES! Here it is...
Goethe has beat me to the answer by many years:
"What you don't feel, you will not grasp by art,
Unless it wells out of your soul
And with sheer pleasure takes control,
Compelling every listener's heart.
But sit - and sit, and patch and knead,
Cook a ragout, reheat your hashes,
Blow at the sparks and try to breed
A fire out of piles of ashes!
Children and apes may think it great,
If that should titillate your gum,
But from heart to heart you will never create.
If from your heart it does not come."
From the HEART!
Be a heart thumper! *heart beats faster than a speeding bullet* Superman is not happy about it.
I think I can do anything better, with a heart. Yes I can! The Tin Man would be proud.
All this raving and ranting because I entered the Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Contest. We as Authors can hope right, and if we don't always win, we still have our hearts right? Ha ha! Brilliance at last.
*fist pump*
Yes we can always hope - good luck on your contest. Thank you for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent poem! I confess I'm educated neither in poetry nor in Goethe, but that's an awesome distillation of how I think about writing. I shall have to educate myself, 'cause now I think Goethe's kind of cool. Thanks for that!
ReplyDeleteMary: Your most welcome! I enjoyed my visit.
ReplyDeleteSimon: Hark ye Hark ye, to the books Simon goes! Enjoy every bit of him. From tip of nose to toes!