Sunday, August 05, 2007
Finding an American Poet
I found a compilation of Muriel Rukeyser's work in a bookshop in Ha Noi. Several years ago I was introduced to her work by the women's writers circle and poetry maestro Dano, but I never realized how many years ago she wrote. She seems very cuttent but actually she began writing poetry books in 1935 and died back in 1980.
Reading her work, I can see her innovation and ability to create a vision which is uniquely hers, but yet is representative of our country and culture. Here we see how the struggle for justice can become a pulse and a breath.
The book seemed to be waiting for me to take it home. Rukeyser made here own trip to Ha Noi in the 1970s, puting her feet where her pen was in the pursuit of peace.
Her poem "Flying to Ha Noi" is a simple but revealing description of not only the trip, but her life odyssey.
Flying to Hanoi
I thought I was going to the poets, but I am going to the children.
I thought I was going to the children, but I am going to the women.
I thought I was going to the women, but I am going to the fighters.
I thought I was going to the fighters, but I am going to the men and women who are inventing peace.
I thought I was going to the invenotrs of peacebut I am going to the poets.
My life is flying to your life.
What I find most intriguing is the term "inventors" of peace. Perhaps this is a metaphor that is useful in trying to gain insight in this seemingly fruitless dream.
Peace is usually seen as an undiscovered land (Shangri-la) or a lost original state (Eden). We look to history and maps to discover the secret of peace. But Rukeyser, the pilot, the poet, the mother and daughter sees it in a different way.
Peace is something that never has been. Yet it is possible. It can't be discovered but has to be created Wright style, with bicycle chains and a vision and understanding of how to simplify the problem. It can only be created by people who have suffered the horrors of war.
People like the Vietnamese. People like us, post 9/11.
For more information on Muriel Rukeyeser's life and work, you can check out this link:
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/m_r/rukeyser/rukeyser.htm
Reading her work, I can see her innovation and ability to create a vision which is uniquely hers, but yet is representative of our country and culture. Here we see how the struggle for justice can become a pulse and a breath.
The book seemed to be waiting for me to take it home. Rukeyser made here own trip to Ha Noi in the 1970s, puting her feet where her pen was in the pursuit of peace.
Her poem "Flying to Ha Noi" is a simple but revealing description of not only the trip, but her life odyssey.
Flying to Hanoi
I thought I was going to the poets, but I am going to the children.
I thought I was going to the children, but I am going to the women.
I thought I was going to the women, but I am going to the fighters.
I thought I was going to the fighters, but I am going to the men and women who are inventing peace.
I thought I was going to the invenotrs of peacebut I am going to the poets.
My life is flying to your life.
What I find most intriguing is the term "inventors" of peace. Perhaps this is a metaphor that is useful in trying to gain insight in this seemingly fruitless dream.
Peace is usually seen as an undiscovered land (Shangri-la) or a lost original state (Eden). We look to history and maps to discover the secret of peace. But Rukeyser, the pilot, the poet, the mother and daughter sees it in a different way.
Peace is something that never has been. Yet it is possible. It can't be discovered but has to be created Wright style, with bicycle chains and a vision and understanding of how to simplify the problem. It can only be created by people who have suffered the horrors of war.
People like the Vietnamese. People like us, post 9/11.
For more information on Muriel Rukeyeser's life and work, you can check out this link:
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/m_r/rukeyser/rukeyser.htm
Labels: poetry, politics, Viet Nam and the West
