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W. D. Wetherell's avatar

Again, thanks to all....In keeping with Nat'l Poetry Month, I'd like to recommend a poet that my Scots friends know all about, but who is little known in this country: Norman MacCaig (1910-96), whose Collected Poems, many set in the wilds of Western Scotland, helped get me through the worst months of the pandemic. He also features in one of my favorite books, "At the Loch of the Green Corrie," by Andrew Grieg, which is an absorbing, unique account of poetry, friendship, and fly fishing!

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Scott McConnaha's avatar

“When October Comes” is beautiful!

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Christina Lane's avatar

Bobber and When October Comes bring me to tears. Where do these beautiful words come from? I’ll never look at your clothesline the same!

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Katrin Tchana's avatar

These are beautiful. I love the thought that when I finally get to sleep the forever sleep maybe at least I won't have to get up in the middle of the night to pee....silver linings.

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W. D. Wetherell's avatar

Thanks all! I went on a sudden two-month verse-writing jag last autumn that came out of nowhere and disappeared just as mysteriously. I learned an important lesson: Poets the caliber of Sydney Lea are willing to climb the high-dive ladder and plunge bravely into the depths, while I'm only gutsy enough to splash around the kiddy pool--but at my age, that's fine...Writing is by Wetherell, but formatting, alas, is all Subscript, and I couldn't get it to separate the stanzas with space-breaks like I wanted; my apologies...Two mistakes. In "Time Change," I meant to say "Daylight saving begins," not "ends;" and in "When October Comes" I left a "d" off "gold-bubbled" hills, which, have to say, is my favorite use of a hyphen in a long time....Two "uncollected" verses are currently up on shop-front posters in Bradford, Vermont, and White River Junction, VT, as part of their Poetry Month "Poem Town" celebrations; as a New Hampshire-ite, I'm flattered to be included; ever since Frost and Lea, NH poets have always had to escape across the river if they want to get anywhere....

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Adam Sylvain's avatar

"Outright refusal / we can live with; it’s flirty fish / who get our goats"

Ain't that the truth! Also loved "gold-bubble hills" in "When October Comes."

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Sydney Lea's avatar

Maestro, you astonish me! I've known the brilliance of your prose...and now I see this, especially "Swan Song" and "When October Comes"! Brao

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Erin Wetherell's avatar

Aww dad!!! "Bobber" was my favorite. Long live wormies!

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Matt W's avatar

Hear hear! I loved these.

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