This time, it's Claes Andersson. He is one of the most eclectic individuals in the Finland-Swedish writing community. He is a politician, playwright and has practiced medicine in hospitals and mental institutions for years (among other endeavors). This variety in his experiences has given him some diverse and intriguing poetry material. As I read each of his poems we were assigned to read, I had a difficult time uncovering one common aesthetic or mood to his poetry. He weaves through darkness and light - cynicism and optimism - without making blatant statements of self-identification. I found his poetry, while not always great, to be intriguing in the subject matter. However, like any poet, there are some gems, some poems that made me want to leave class, come back to my flat and bury myself in a day and night of writing. And to me, that's what good poetry does - it invigorates the mind and the creative streak of humanity and inspires more great writing. Poetry is like an avalanche in that respect - Claes Andersson has certainly contributed his bit of poetic voice to the tumbling mass of figurative snow. Here is my favorite poem of the collection I read - a wonderful meditation on suicide from a past medical professional. Enjoy!
A Man Once Thought, in Desperation
A man once thought, in desperation:
The best thing would be to hang myself
in the nearest ocean.
Down a rope he clambered into the sea
and found his Atlantis.
Another man thought, in desperation:
The best thing would be to drown myself
in the nearest tree.
In its crown he found happiness
and quenched his thirst on dew and rain.
A third man thought, in desperation:
The best thing would be to put a sleeping
pill through my forehead.
He was transformed into the good moon
and nightly companion of all the sleepless.
Claes Andersson
What I like so much about this poem is the integration of all elements of nature. There is a indescribable fluidity to his voice in this poem, as he moves from location to location, almost as if this were a dream sequence. The Zen influence on this poem is convincing, and Andersson conveys an optimistic message through his calm, meditative language. I love the lyrical movement of this poem - it's the kind of work that gets the wheels turning in my head. I can think of no better compliment.
This is an interesting poem - I love the way he transformed each man's experience into life-affirming statements. But what is a "third an"?? Ha ha, just teasing.
ReplyDeletebeautiful. and i agree with your thoughts on poetry and how it invigorates the soul.
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