Comments on: Thursday Short Poem: Berry’s “The Country of Marriage” http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/ Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:38:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: amy http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18987 amy Mon, 05 Sep 2005 03:40:32 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18987 Hugo, thanks for sharing this. If it weren't for short poem Thursdays at your place, I'd read very few of them indeed. I'm not quite sure why, but this was my favorite part: <i>the words of a dream of you I did not know I had dreamed</i> Hugo, thanks for sharing this. If it weren’t for short poem Thursdays at your place, I’d read very few of them indeed. I’m not quite sure why, but this was my favorite part:

the words of a dream of you
I did not know I had dreamed

]]> By: Hugo http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18986 Hugo Fri, 02 Sep 2005 15:25:48 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18986 Dwight, one of the reasons I love poetry so much -- especially shorter poems, is that my attention span is not well-suited to novels that take "their time." I suppose that's why I rather like Jim Harrison's stuff (an embarrassing admission) more than Berry's, even if I find Berry's worldview more congenial. From the hustle and the bustle of the urban world, I like knowing that others lead slower lives. Doesn't mean I could lead that life myself... Dwight, one of the reasons I love poetry so much — especially shorter poems, is that my attention span is not well-suited to novels that take “their time.” I suppose that’s why I rather like Jim Harrison’s stuff (an embarrassing admission) more than Berry’s, even if I find Berry’s worldview more congenial. From the hustle and the bustle of the urban world, I like knowing that others lead slower lives. Doesn’t mean I could lead that life myself…

]]> By: Dwight P http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18985 Dwight P Fri, 02 Sep 2005 13:39:03 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18985 I'm amazed -- and a little disappointed that you find his novels slow going -- or rather that you don't enjoy that about them. I adore his novels. I think the sense of place, of mystery, of reverence, of meaning come to a point there in living majesty. "Jayber Crow" may be my favorite novel -- period. (It may not be the best novel ever written, but it moves me every time I read it. I have to set it aside every five or ten pages to just savor the language I've just swum in.) It is the most fantastic meditation on fidelity that I can imagine -- and I have on occasion given it as a wedding gift. Our book group read it as our very first group effort, and it remains most of the members' favorite -- after three years of monthly selections. But I commend you for posting this poem. He is able to put words together in a way that makes them seem to have been born, siamese-twin-like, linked. I certainly wish you all the best on your impending nuptials. Dwight I’m amazed — and a little disappointed that you find his novels slow going — or rather that you don’t enjoy that about them. I adore his novels. I think the sense of place, of mystery, of reverence, of meaning come to a point there in living majesty. “Jayber Crow” may be my favorite novel — period. (It may not be the best novel ever written, but it moves me every time I read it. I have to set it aside every five or ten pages to just savor the language I’ve just swum in.) It is the most fantastic meditation on fidelity that I can imagine — and I have on occasion given it as a wedding gift. Our book group read it as our very first group effort, and it remains most of the members’ favorite — after three years of monthly selections.

But I commend you for posting this poem. He is able to put words together in a way that makes them seem to have been born, siamese-twin-like, linked.

I certainly wish you all the best on your impending nuptials.

Dwight

]]> By: Hugo http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18984 Hugo Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:45:50 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18984 Oh, Rachel, I'll have to look up the article. Do you enjoy his prose commentary as much? I find his novels a bit slow for my taste... Oh, Rachel, I’ll have to look up the article. Do you enjoy his prose commentary as much? I find his novels a bit slow for my taste…

]]> By: Rachel http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18983 Rachel Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:31:44 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2005/09/01/thursday-short-poem-berrys-the-country-of-marriage/#comment-18983 Splendid indeed. I had the pleasure of writing an article about Berry and his work (for the <i>Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Poetry</i>) and found that immersing in his poetry had a wonderful effect on me. I value him as one of our foremost poets of place, and also as a fantastic poet of the sacred; I see his theology all over his poetry, though it's never presented in an exclusionary or dogmatic way. Splendid indeed. I had the pleasure of writing an article about Berry and his work (for the Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Poetry) and found that immersing in his poetry had a wonderful effect on me. I value him as one of our foremost poets of place, and also as a fantastic poet of the sacred; I see his theology all over his poetry, though it’s never presented in an exclusionary or dogmatic way.

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