Tag: anne carson

anne carson

[Ibykos fr. 286, Poetae Melici Graeci]

In spring, on the one hand,
the Kydonian apple trees,
being watered by streams of rivers
where the uncut garden of the maidens [is]
and vine blossoms
swelling
beneath shady vine branches
bloom.
On the other hand, for me
Eros lies quiet at no season.
Nay rather,
like a Thracian north wind
ablaze with lightning,
rushing from Aphrodite
accompanied by parching madnesses,
black,
unastonishable,
powerfully,
right up from the bottom of my feet
[it] shakes my whole breathing being.

‘Deer (not a play)’
Anne Carson

SCENE: Sunday. England. Country road.
CAST: deer
Jimi Hendrix
limo driver
[Enter deer from woods on right. Stops, stands still on road]
DEER:
Heart is
wild muscle
Hum
[Limo with JH in back approaches on road. JH on cell phone]
JH:
So. Dad. I’m in England.
LD:
Look we got a deer.
JH:
What?
LD:
There.
JH:
Just standing.
LD:
They do that.
DEER:
Thin to the leap goes exactly what
tired you up what bracken breaking Hum
to keep on Hum
LD:
Young one. Fawn.
JH:
Dad? Far out. A deer. What? I said deer. A deer standing here. White spots on it.
DEER:
Hum
over this Fool stalkers! Try it
My eyes
LD:
There he goes
JH:
Fast motherfucker. Listen, Dad –
LD:
You hit one of those say goodbye to your car.
JH:
I made it in England, Dad … Right … OK … No it rained here … Yes … OK you go
back to your supper … Bye now … OK Dad … bye.
LD:
What’d he say? About you in England.
deer [now gone in woods]:
My eyes can see
310
degrees around every lick you sail with your tickets gurgling Why have you tied all
that to your arms and legs? Drinking black trees clawing
milk
from the mushrooms no I’m not your shy friend
JH:
What he always says, Whale away Jim.
LD:
Got their own angle don’t they, dads.
JH:
Oh don’t they.
LD:
…
JH:
…
LD:
What is it about deer.
JH:
…
LD:
Something.
JH:
They’re clear then they’re gone. As if it didn’t happen type thing.
LD:
Maybe.
JH:
A voice can be like that sometimes. Ever hear J.B. Lenoir?
LD:
I don’t believe so.
JH:
Hear a voice like that. Kind of high. Clear. Sudden. You looking into the man inside.
LD:
You know a lot of musicians?
JH:
No. Well, some.
LD:
John Lennon?
JH:
Vaguely.
LD:
Vaguely [laughs]. Well here we are Heathrow. You seem to have some fans waiting.
JH:
Look like it. Whoah Nelly.
LD:
I’ll drive on to the next gate – they won’t see you.
JH:
No, let me out here this is good. OK man, thanks.
[Exeunt LD in car, JH out of car into crowd]
DEER:
leap exactly Hum
Hum
over this
Try zones
blown lungs
so strangely relaxed
have you
whitecold
as if I were earth so strangely relaxed
Piss down my leg
flag up a whitetail
You stand here there
breaking with hints
My stain goes to you
open like this I dip I
and vanish
[Exit]