(Poem #1311) Just a Smack at Auden Waiting for the end, boys, waiting for the end. What is there to be or do? What's become of me or you? Are we kind or are we true? Sitting two and two, boys, waiting for the end. Shall I build a tower, boys, knowing it will rend Crack upon the hour, boys, waiting for the end? Shall I pluck a flower, boys, shall I save or spend? All turns sour, boys, waiting for the end. Shall I send a wire, boys? Where is there to send? All are under fire, boys, waiting for the end. Shall I turn a sire, boys? Shall I choose a friend? The fat is in the pyre, boys, waiting for the end. Shall I make it clear, boys, for all to apprehend, Those that will not hear, boys, waiting for the end, Knowing it is near, boys, trying to pretend, Sitting in cold fear, boys, waiting for the end? Shall we send a cable, boys, accurately penned, Knowing we are able, boys, waiting for the end, Via the Tower of Babel, boys? Christ will not ascend. He's hiding in his stable, boys, waiting for the end. Shall we blow a bubble, boys, glittering to distend, Hiding from our trouble, boys, waiting for the end? When you build on rubble, boys, Nature will append Double and re-double, boys, waiting for the end. Shall we make a tale, boys, that things are sure to mend, Playing bluff and hale, boys, waiting for the end? It will be born stale, boys, stinking to offend, Dying ere it fail, boys, waiting for the end. Shall we go all wild, boys, waste and make them lend, Playing at the child, boys, waiting for the end? It has all been filed, boys, history has a trend, Each of us enisled, boys, waiting for the end. What was said by Marx, boys, what did he perpend? No good being sparks, boys, waiting for the end. Treason of the clerks, boys, curtains that descend, Lights becoming darks, boys, waiting for the end. Waiting for the end, boys, waiting for the end. Not a chance of blend, boys, things have got to tend. Think of those who vend, boys, think of how we wend, Waiting for the end, boys, waiting for the end. |
While I enjoy Auden's poetry very much [1], I can't deny that he's very easy to criticize. His poems often seem too glib, too easy; there's always the nagging feeling that behind the perfect construction and beguiling rhythms there's (whisper it!) not a lot of depth. The Emperor, we suspect, has no clothes. The Empson, on the other hand, is usually so swaddled in robes of learning and sophistication that he's lost to the general view. His poetry is erudite, complex, and subtle. While he can -- and often does -- exhibit the same command of prosody that characterizes Auden, he equally often chooses to build dense layers of meaning into his every word, until his poems become puzzles for the reader and the critic to solve. They're nowhere near as accessible as Auden's finest works; indeed, they don't even try to be. It's no surprise, then, that Auden was the most popular poet of the 20th century, while Empson remains obscure and cultish. Did it rankle? I'm not sure. Empson was certainly idealistic enough not to care overmuch about the comparison, but there are times (especially when reading today's poem) when one senses a definite hint of "I can do everything Auden does, but I choose not to" in his work. It's the classic opposition of depth and width: Empson champions the former quality, but acknowledges (even while parodying it) the power of the latter. All analysis apart, I do love the way today's poem skewers Auden's style. It's all there: the use of a refrain, the slightly condescending tone allied with indecisiveness and moral drift, the repetition which seems poised at any moment to descend into gibberish, the sheer _banality_ of it all. Beautiful, simply beautiful. thomas. [1] It was not always thus. See the commentary to Poem #677. [On Empson and the Cambridge poets] .. [the] Elizabethan-Metaphysical fashion naturally dominated the next period of 'Cambridge poetry' and marked it off sharply, at any rate in style, from the Georgians. Its most characteristic writer was beyond any doubt William Empson. His poetry has even less of the superficial local colouring than that of Brooke ... But in all other ways he seemed, at the time (and in retrospect too) to be exactly and admirably the expression of the time, as well as being almost violently himself. The literary atmosphere was set chiefly by I.A. Richards, whose lectures on practical criticism were drawing vast, almost evangelical audiences and educating them in the reading of 'difficult' poetry, in the understanding of images in which intellectual and emotive elements were fused. Empson was able to give this fashion a creative turn, partly because he just happened to be able to do it, but partly, perhaps, because he had read mathematics (very creditably) before he took the English Tripos. 'Long words' and scientific notions that others had to garner carefully and consciously for their images to him came entirely naturally: they were familiar to him not merely because he wanted to use them in poetry - he used them because they were already familiar. And the impact of his poetry was strengthened by his criticism, for preliminary studies of the book that later came out as Seven Types of Ambiguity were being published in the same magazines that published his poetry. Taken together, they established a powerful and coherent, if limited, literary position. So much was clear on the surface. But there were deeper resonances with the spirit of the place and age that escaped notice, because he himself played them down, partly from what looked like a fastidious sense of intellectual privacy, partly through a habit of irony often carried to the point of mannerism. But he was, after all, President of the Heretics, the Cambridge society that most obviously embodied the radical-rationalist tradition of the pre-war days. By training and intellectual capacity, moreover, he was aware, in a much less dilettante manner than most of his contemporaries, of the fact that G.E. Moore and Wittgenstein were lecturing in the University, as well as I.A. Richards. So that both his poetry and his criticism, though almost deceptively purely 'literary', moved in a real intellectual and moral world, clearly grasped, even when the grasp was ironically concealed. The most obvious outward sign of a serious concern for the conduct of life was his capacity for mordant social observation, for pin-pointing the more significant quirks and follies of human behaviour. And closely allied with this was a superb command of colloquial English, so that among the 'difficult' lines and the scientific images there were astonishing pieces of simply musical writing. -- Hugh Sykes Davis, http://jacketmagazine.com/20/hsd-camb-po.html [On today's poem] A fine example of political double-talk is given in Just a Smack at Auden, in which William Empson emulates the authoritarian tone of Auden's The Orators. Empson's speaker addresses his listeners 'boys,' and in spite of his autocratic tone, he asks 'the boys' numerous banal questions that show speaker's indecision, for example: 'Shall I pluck a flower, boys,/ Shall I save or spend?'[29] This aspect of the poem is another textual reference, this time our scope of reading Just a Smack at Auden is broadened by T. S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, in which the speaker assumes an authoritarian tone by stating at the beginning: 'Let us go then, you and I,'[30] and then asks his reader a number of prosaic questions that resemble Empson's lyric even in the regularity of the rhythmic, iambic verse. As he says for example: 'Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?'[31] Both poems stress the inability of a self to make a decision, or judge reasonably in the modern society; notwithstanding whether one is a leader or a commonplace man like Alfred Prufrock, they are exiles in a society that lacks domesticity. -- Marek Helman, http://maras5.tripod.com/
37 comments: ( or Leave a comment )
A very cruel poem, Thomas - worse than just a parody. And whatever Empson
left undone (or merely hinted at), you have accomplished in your note. A
splendid bugger has been buggered, once again - he must be turning in his
grave.
Perhaps you should spare a thought for the superb craftsmanship that's so
natural and effortless as to seem "glib". A basic characteristic of poetry
is that it is meant to be read aloud, or recited - sounds and words are as
important as meanings, a fact that the neo-metaphysicals often forget. Their
chosen guru, T S Eliot, never did - his poems, though layered with complex
overtones of meanings, have wonderful "sound". (The last lines of Prufrock
that have been mocked here are worth every poem that Empson wrote in his
life.) So too for Auden - the sounds and the rhyme flow spontaneously,
making it a pleasure to read and hear.
Empson is the antithesis to "natural" poetry - he is basically a critic, not
a poet, and a mathematician to boot. He revels in critical analysis of words
and meanings - taking on Shakespeare, Milton, Marlowe, Marvell and Gerald
Manley Hopkins impartially; "natural" poetry - one without seven types of
ambiguity - one suspects was not good enough for him. Read the villanelle of
Poem 202, for instance, it is dense and obscure and clouded with meaning -
good to puzzle over, but far from being good to read. So stiff and painful
in construction - it creaks in every joint. In my book, it is bad poetry.
Anyway, nil nisi bonum and all that.
Regards
Anustup
Just to say thanks -- an especially good "read" today.
Vivian
Given the status of the author, I dont criticise Minstrels
selection of the Empson poem as worthy of discussion and
assessment, but presume that doesnt mean that assessments
have to be positive.
The poem fails a criterion often applied to things artistic,
that each part should make a necessary contribution to the
whole. If a stanza of Just a Smack at Auden were omitted
in transcription, would anyone notice or care (save perhaps
some obsessive tallying the words that rhyme with end)?
The poems main problem, however, is that it is boring.
Unredeemed by its initially seductive sing-song style, it
goes nowhere. As one vacuous stanza succeeds another, any
hope the reader has of poetic revelation rapidly dies. I
could hardly wait for the end. Is that the point? If so,
it is an intellectualism far removed from the pleasure of
poetry.
I agree with Anustups opinion about the comparative merits
of T.S. Eliot. It is hard to understand how anyone with a
poetic ear could detect in the Empson poem the slightest
significant resemblance or reference to Prufrock. The
quoted comments (which incidentally dont seem to be
available any longer at the website cited) of Marek Helman,
whoever he is, strike me as woefully inadequate in their
characterisation of the Prufrock masterpiece, and misleading
in their suggestion that the Empson work in some way
emulates or gains meaning from it.
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, but I am firmly convinced of this and love to learn more about the subject. If possible, acquire knowledge, would you update your blog with more information? It is very helpful to me
What you can't get from your city, you can be streaming a full length preview, which gives you a detailexplanation of every enlargement exercises in advance. Relax A friend and I, both divorced for several years, met for lunch a few days shooting with the iPhone 5 copes amazingly well.
My site sex chat
I blog quite often and I seriously appreciate your content.
Your article has truly peaked my interest. I'm going to book mark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.
Also visit my web page - Explained here
He says that he's seen this sort of internecine rancor in the Democratic party, and has made very few other changes. Forget about it Corker gets around to singing his verse of" Kumbayah" to Dick Durbin about the chances of a Grand Bargain, blah blah. On the other hand, the phone smoked its dual-core competition, leaving the camera free and ready to step up?
my site; sexcams
I have read some good stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how so much attempt you put to make this type of great informative web site.
Have a look at my web-site; Abercrombie France
I visited various web pages but the audio quality for audio songs existing at
this web page is genuinely fabulous.
Have a look at my website - http://www.maxleticssports.com/cheapjerseys.html
Every weekend i used to visit this web site,
because i want enjoyment, for the reason that this this site conations actually nice funny data too.
Also visit my blog :: Wholesale Jerseys
This article will assist the internet people for creating new blog or even a weblog from start to end.
my site: Wholesale Jerseys
In fact no matter if someone doesn't understand after that its up to other users that they will help, so here it takes place.
Look into my web-site - cheap nfl jerseys
I'm curious to find out what blog platform you're working with?
I'm experiencing some minor security issues with my latest website and I would like to find something more secure. Do you have any solutions?
Also visit my webpage; Cheap Louis Vuitton Handbags
Hi, I do believe this is a great blog. I stumbledupon it ;) I may come back once
again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to
guide others.
Feel free to surf to my web site Cheap NFL Jerseys
What you said was very reasonable. However, what about this?
suppose you added a little information? I am not suggesting your content isn't good., but suppose you added something to possibly grab a person's attention?
I mean "Just a Smack at Auden -- William Empson" is a little plain.
You might peek at Yahoo's home page and see how they create article headlines to get people to open the links. You might add a video or a related picture or two to grab readers interested about what you've written.
Just my opinion, it could bring your posts a little bit more interesting.
My homepage: Sac a main Guess
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I truly appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your further post
thank you once again.
My blog :: slc-wireless.com
Everyone loves it whenever people get together and share ideas.
Great blog, continue the good work!
Also visit my web page; Louis vuitton Handbags outlet
We are a bunch of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
Your site offered us with valuable info to work on. You
have done a formidable task and our entire community will
be grateful to you.
Feel free to visit my web page ... Chaussure De Foot Pas Cher
And here is the human ego, and it's desire to see itself as something above and beyond everything else. It will also tell the person in the US with similar skills, hence the name fleshlight. 3 grams of protein. Search for the iPhone, and we suspect that surrounding each icon with a circle probably increases the odds that we're hitting the buttons exactly
where they need to outsource this work.
You should take part in a contest for one of
the best sites on the web. I most certainly will highly recommend this site!
Feel free to surf to my blog - Louis Vuitton Purses
Great post.
my site; Michael Kors Bags
Howdy! Someone in my Myspace group shared this
site with us so I came to take a look. I'm definitely loving the information. I'm book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
Superb blog and terrific design.
Here is my site; Authentic Evgeni Malkin Jersey
Hi there, just wanted to mention, I liked this post.
It was inspiring. Keep on posting!
Stop by my web site; Air Jordan Pas Cher
Good web site you have here.. It's difficult to find excellent writing like yours nowadays. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
my weblog :: Nike Air Max
I just like the helpful information you provide for your articles.
I'll bookmark your blog and take a look at once more right here regularly. I am rather certain I'll
be informed many new stuff right here! Good luck for
the following!
Feel free to surf to my web site; nike Air Jordan
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme.
Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz respond as I'm looking to construct my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. appreciate it
My homepage Louis Vuitton Handbags Outlet
Admiring the time and energy you put into your site and in depth
information you present. It's awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn't the same out of date rehashed information.
Wonderful read! I've bookmarked your site and I'm including your RSS feeds to
my Google account.
Take a look at my blog post ... Air Max One
What's Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & aid different customers like its aided me. Good job.
Feel free to visit my web page; Discover More Here
hello there and thank you for your info – I've certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise some technical points using this site, since I experienced to reload the web site a lot of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for much more of your respective intriguing content. Make sure you update this again soon.
my homepage; Learn More Here
perfect perfect fried rice, good post for the beginners as well..Super Prema, loved the presentation very much
Selaput Dara Buatan
Vimax asli Canada
Obat Perangsang
viagra usa
Bio Slim Herbal
Boneka Full Body
vimax canada
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
Obat Sipilis Tradisional Daun Sirih
obat sipilis paling ampuh
obat sipilis di apotik
obat sipilis raja singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
obat sipilis tradisional daun sirih
obat sipilis di apotik umum
obat sipilis dokter
obat sipilis generik
t sipilis yang paling ampuh
obat sipilis
Obat Sipilis Tradisional
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Alami
Obat Sipilis Paling Ampuh
Obat Sipilis Dengan Bayam Duri
Obat Sipilis Pada Pria
Obat Sipilis Raja Singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
Obat Sipilis De Nature
Obat Sipilis Di Jual Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Terdekat
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Kimia Farma
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Resep Dokter
Obat Sipilis Di Kimia Farma
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
Obat Sipilis Tradisional Daun Sirih
obat sipilis paling ampuh
obat sipilis di apotik
obat sipilis raja singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
obat sipilis tradisional daun sirih
obat sipilis di apotik umum
obat sipilis dokter
obat sipilis generik
t sipilis yang paling ampuh
obat sipilis
Obat Sipilis Tradisional
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Alami
Obat Sipilis Paling Ampuh
Obat Sipilis Dengan Bayam Duri
Obat Sipilis Pada Pria
Obat Sipilis Raja Singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
Obat Sipilis De Nature
Obat Sipilis Di Jual Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Terdekat
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Kimia Farma
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Resep Dokter
Obat Sipilis Di Kimia Farma
nice article
obat kutil kemaluan di apotik
obat kutil sekitar kemaluan di apotik
obat alami kutil kemaluan di apotik
obat herbal kutil kemaluan di apotik
jual obat kutil kemaluan di apotik
Beli Obat Kutil Kemaluan di Apotik
Beli Obat Ampuh Kutil Kemaluan di Apotik
Beli Obat Kutil Dekat Kemaluan di Apotik
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
good
Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Obat Alami untuk Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Obat Ampuh untuk Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Obat Herbal untuk Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Obat Mengobati Ambeien Resep Dokter
Obat Ampuh untuk Mengobati Ambeien Resep Dokter
Obat Herbal untuk Mengobati Ambeien Resep Dokter
Obat Herbal untuk Mengobati Ambeien Resep Dokter
Obat Aman Mengobati Ambeien
Obat Alami Aman untuk Mengobati Ambeien
Obat Aman untuk Ambeien
Obat Herbal Aman untuk Mengobati Ambeien
Pengobatan Ambeien Tanpa Harus Operasi
Pengobatan Alami Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Pengobatan Ampuh Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Pengobatan Herbal Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Cara Alami Pengobatan Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Cara Ampuh Pengobatan Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Cara Herbal Pengobatan Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Cara Pengobatan Ambeien
Terapi Pengobatan Ambeien
Terapi Pengobatan Ambeien Wasir
Terapi Ampuh Pengobatan Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Terapi Mujarab Pengobatan Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Pengobatan Ambeien Wasir
Pengobatan Ambeien Wasir Tanpa Harus Operasi
Pengobatan Ampuh Ambeien Wasir Tanpa Operasi
Pengobatan Tradisional Ambeien Wasir Tanpa Operasi
Obat Ambeien di Apotik Murah
Obat Mujarab Ambeien di Apotik
Obat Mujarab Ambeien di Apotik Murah
Obat Ambeien di Apotik Yang Murah
Jual Obat Ambeien ada di Apotik
Jual Obat Alami Ambeien di Apotik
Jual Obat Ambeien yang ada di Apotik
Jual Obat Ambeien di Apotik Murah
Great Article
JavaScript Training in Chennai | JavaScript Course | Javascript Online Course | Angularjs Training in Chennai | Backbone.JS Training in Chennai | Bootstrap Training in Chennai | Node.js Training in Chennai
Great Article
Online Java Training | Java EE course | Java Course in Chennai
Great Article
C# Online Training | ASP.NET Training | ASP.NET MVC Training | Dot Net Interview Questions
Java Training in Chennai | Java Training Institutes in Chennai | J2EE Training in Chennai | java j2ee training institutes in chennai | .net training online | Dot Net Training in Chennai | .Net Training in Chennai | Dot Net Training Institutes in Chennai
Java 360 | Dot Net Interview Questions | JavaScript Certification | JavaScript 360 | Top 10 Corporate Training Trends | Online Java Training Methodologies | Best Recommended books for Java SE Design patterns
Post a Comment