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Mark Doty off-shoot: Reflections with the Coroner

by gard 

Posted: 20 October 2004
Word Count: 377
Summary: I know I am behind here is my Mark Doty offshoot, kinda at a tangent though. Yes it is based on a real event..


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Reflections with the Coroner

Version 2 (rough one)

She hanged herself from the doorframe
the rope around her neck, the 6-inch nails,
the stool to kick away, she dangled
stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence.

The letters posted three days ahead
the instructions, the police, the key
"under the pot of yellow crysthanthemums"
the “come around the back
do not disturb the neighbours" as she dangled
stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence.

She had played no opera of late
preferring home improvements, that hammering
the doorframe, the 6-inch nails, the rehearsals
the floor vibrated though it had gone quiet
and I was wrapped up in my life and anyway
her teeth were black stumps and anyway
she always had a glass of whiskey in her hand

He said that there could be many reasons
maybe she had a terminal disease though
he said her dog died some months before
I thought of when I stood aloof
the blunted indignation while she apologised
dropping tiny scraps of chicken into a dustbin
the little fragments she extended to my dog
which he had nibbled gently from her fingertips
and how she could hang herself from the doorframe.


------------------------------------------
V1

She hanged herself from the doorframe
the rope around her neck, the 6-inch nails,
the stool to kick away, she dangled
stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence.

He said it was well planned
the letters posted three days ahead
the information, the police,
the key under the pot of yellow crysthanthemums
and “Come around the back
and don't disturb the neighbours”.

She had played no opera of late
but started home improvements
then the hammering, the floor vibrated
though it had gone quiet and I was wrapped up in my life
and anyway her teeth were black stumps and anyway
she always had a glass of whiskey in her hand.

He said that there could be many reasons
maybe she had a terminal disease though
he said her dog died some months before
and I thought of when I stood aloof
the blunted indignation as she apologised
dropping tiny scraps of chicken into a dustbin
the little fragments she extended to my dog
which he had nibbled gently from her fingertips.











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Comments by other Members



fevvers at 17:55 on 21 October 2004  Report this post
Gard

Very chilling and very interesting. There's some wonderful images "stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence" and good writing 'and I was wrapped up in my life/and anyway her teeth were black stumps and anyway/she always had a glass of whiskey in her hand//'. Have a look at the form, because it doesn't seem right yet - maybe something in syllabics perhaps, I'm not sure. It needs tightening and the form might help that to happen. Think about incorporating the first verse into the rest of the poem (but people are hanged not hung) and starting with the second verse (we immediately meet the Coroner then you see), don't give us everything in one serving - this is a poem you're wanting to think over as a reader, so make us do so.

Thanks for lett ing us read some good work.

cheers


<Added>

That last line sounds dopey and implies is the only good work in the group, which is not what I meant at all! What it meant to say was ---
Thanks for lett ing us read it. Some good work!

I think I was asleep when I wrote that bit!

cheers



The Walrus at 19:08 on 21 October 2004  Report this post
Some striking visual work here. Paul Birtell's 'Terrifying Ordeal' sprung to mine.

Fascinating piece.

The Walrus

Elsie at 21:26 on 21 October 2004  Report this post
Hello Gard,
Interesting story - reminded me of something I tried to write and never got right! I agree the line about the dead hawk is great. Tger's some lovely detail with the opera and diy, made my aware this is a neighbour you are talking about, rather than a relative. I just wonder whether some of the line breaks could be played with. Also loved the 'anyway' 'and anyway' suggesting defensiveness.
elsie

<Added>

Oops - by that I didn't mean you didn't get yours right - I meant the story (a true story) about my ex mother in law planning her own death, never really came right for me..

Mac AM at 19:18 on 22 October 2004  Report this post
This is a very strong subject matter and I hope it is not too painful to discuss it in a detached poetic form.

There were lots of things to like about this poem, but I think you have two problematic lines

“Come round the back do not disturb the neighbours” - this seems overly complicated as though you are trying to be faithful to the event, but I think, because it is the only speech to represent the woman, you could replace it with something more stiking.

If it is any help, last week at a writing workshop, one of the poets in residence said that the writing was no longer about the person, but the poem and somehow this released me a bit.

home improvements then the hammering, the floor vibrated
though it had gone quiet and I was wrapped up in my life
I loved the opening of this stanza but felt that whilst you want to chill the reader in their knowledge that these home improvements are actually plans for her suicide, there were just far too many syllables.

I think also you have barbed wire rather than barbwire - but I'm not going to bet on my confidence in this.

Mac

joanie at 18:21 on 24 October 2004  Report this post
Gard, you have built up images beautifully (if that's the right word!)

I think the word 'aloof' speaks most strongly to me.

I like it, particularly the last line. It almost needs a line of ................ at the end!

joanie

gard at 19:18 on 24 October 2004  Report this post
HI everyone Fevvers MacAM, Walrus Elsie Joanie

thanks I took onboard the commments and am rewriting this. I tried inserting some repetition I wonder if it works? I am away on work business right now so my presence is a bit scanty..would appreciate comments on some of the reworks. I though about rewriting as a terza or villanelle or something?

Oh its OK, yes it was a neighbour who lived in the apartment beneath me maybe 6 years ago, she was polish 50 ish engaged to be married.

G

Nell at 19:30 on 24 October 2004  Report this post
Gard, I read version 1 a few days ago and returned to read again and comment, but will study the two together for a while first and get back to you.

Nell.

fevvers at 13:27 on 26 October 2004  Report this post
Hi Gard

I think it's a shame you've lost the line 'come round the back, do not disturb the neighbours' because it's a point of humanity and signifies how it (humanity) is broken down into such carefully construction instructions. I need also to print this version off, but on very first reading, I think there's too much of a 'ladder' leading up to the introduction of the coroner.

I'll be back.

cheers


Nell at 16:08 on 27 October 2004  Report this post
Hi gard,

I think the second versions works better - you've introduced the Coroner ealier, which seems somehow to make the details of the death and the possible reasons for it more official/less emotional. "Come round the back do not disturb the neighbours..." remains - have you re-added it? (See fevvers' comment above). This is all the more poignant for the simple stating of the facts, and the Coroner has a part to play in the tone too. The small human concerns before death, the guilt only half-concealed with those 'anyways', and ending on that odd image of the dog nibbling gently from her fingertips - all these things make it a memorable poem. The only thing I wasn't sure of was the use of the word 'lassoed' as I always imagine a thrown lariat when I see it. Perhaps you don't it at all: ...the rope around her neck...

And fevvers is right - it should be 'hanged' rather than 'hung'.

Write on,

Nell.

<Added>

Please excuse typos in the above. I must be slipping.


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