XPost: alt.arts.poetry.comments

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency of poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

Another basically obscure poet, given a chance for a new audience, thanks again, George.

🙂

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Will Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first modernist >> poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his country in order to
connect the poet to the universal themes of the unknown and death. The poems >> show the duality of the man through the look that the child-poet takes on
distressing images: birds that escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by >> the opaque transparency of poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

Another basically obscure poet, given a chance for a new audience, thanks again, George.

🙂

Quite fascinating poetry, I thank....

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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XPost: alt.arts.poetry.comments

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency of poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

This poem continues to make me think of Robin Williams, an actor I still miss.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2022-05-30 11:45 a.m., W.Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first
modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his
country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the
unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the
look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that
escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency of
poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

Another basically obscure poet, given a chance for a new audience,
thanks again, George.

I believe he's well-known in Quebec, where he's considered their first modernist poet. There are several different printings of his one book
and of his collected poems offered for sale online. I think he's taught
in high school there.

I don't think he's well known in English Canada, from my own experience,
though an English translation of his book -- by John Glassco, not mine
-- did win the Governor-General's Award back in the '70s.

(I dropped aapc from the header, btw, because I don't want to have to
read another trashed thread. I'll read and reply here instead.)

🙂

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

George J. Dance wrote:

On 2022-05-30 11:45 a.m., W.Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first
modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his
country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the
unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the
look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that
escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency of
poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

Another basically obscure poet, given a chance for a new audience,
thanks again, George.

I believe he's well-known in Quebec, where he's considered their first modernist poet. There are several different printings of his one book
and of his collected poems offered for sale online. I think he's taught
in high school there.

I don't think he's well known in English Canada, from my own experience, though an English translation of his book -- by John Glassco, not mine
-- did win the Governor-General's Award back in the '70s.

(I dropped aapc from the header, btw, because I don't want to have to
read another trashed thread. I'll read and reply here instead.)

🙂

Good information, thanks.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

XPost: alt.arts.poetry.comments

Zod wrote:

Will Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first modernist
poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his country in order to >>> connect the poet to the universal themes of the unknown and death. The poems
show the duality of the man through the look that the child-poet takes on >>> distressing images: birds that escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by >>> the opaque transparency of poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

Another basically obscure poet, given a chance for a new audience, thanks again, George.

🙂

Quite fascinating poetry, I thank....

You can read more about the poet on the thread at rec.arts.poems.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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XPost: alt.arts.poetry.comments

Will Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first modernist >> poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his country in order to
connect the poet to the universal themes of the unknown and death. The poems >> show the duality of the man through the look that the child-poet takes on
distressing images: birds that escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by >> the opaque transparency of poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

This poem continues to make me think of Robin Williams, an actor I still miss.

It was one of his better movies...:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO0kWTR_7tQ

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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XPost: alt.arts.poetry.comments

On 2022-06-02 7:15 a.m., W-Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first
modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his
country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the
unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the
look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that
escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency of
poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

This poem continues to make me think of Robin Williams, an actor I still miss.

It's something we've run into before, the last time with Jim Senetto's
cento of Pink Floyd titles - the danger of a reference overwhelming the
poem. In this case the reference is purely accidental; it's a literal translation of Garneau's title (exactly the one Google Translate gives),
and he chose that title and conceit back in the '30s. I can't change it.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2022-06-02 12:35 p.m., W-Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

On 2022-05-30 11:45 a.m., W.Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first
modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his
country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the
unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the
look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that
escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency
of poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

Another basically obscure poet, given a chance for a new audience,
thanks again, George.

I believe he's well-known in Quebec, where he's considered their first
modernist poet. There are several different printings of his one book
and of his collected poems offered for sale online. I think he's
taught in high school there.

I don't think he's well known in English Canada, from my own
experience, though an English translation of his book -- by John
Glassco, not mine -- did win the Governor-General's Award back in the
'70s.

(I dropped aapc from the header, btw, because I don't want to have to
read another trashed thread. I'll read and reply here instead.)

🙂

Good information, thanks.

Here's something interesting I thought of on rereading the poem today. A
lot of people have liked it ( even those who've accused me of
plagiarizing it :) Slythera was one I remember.

The last two stanzas are powerful. One reason I think they are is
because they use two words one doesn't find that often in modern English poetry: The penultimate stanza uses "heart" and the last, 1-line, stanza
uses "soul". Those used to be powerful words to use in English poetry,
too, but they were so powerful that everyone tried to use them; so they
got banned as "cliches." But they work just as strongly in an English translation, even stronger because anglophone readers don't see them
anymore -- they're no longer cliches to the present generation, but
something novel.

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XPost: alt.arts.poetry.comments

George J. Dance wrote:

On 2022-06-02 7:15 a.m., W-Dockery wrote:

George J. Dance wrote:

The best of The Penny Blog, for National Poetry Month:
Bird Cage, by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau

I am a bird cage
A bone cage
With a bird

The bird in my bone cage
Is death making its nest

When nothing is happening
I hear its wings ruffling

And when I've laughed a lot
If I suddenly stop

I hear it chirping
Deep down
Like a tiny alarm

It is a bird held captive
Death in my bone cage

Wouldn't it like to fly away
Is it you who makes it stay
Or is it me
I can't say

It cannot leave until
Having eaten all
My heart
The blood source
With the life inside

It will have my soul in its beak.

http://gdancesbetty.blogspot.ca/2010/03/bird-cage-hector-de-saint-denys-garneau.html

Okay, so I think it is indeed Hector who got the translations.

"Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) is considered the first
modernist poet in Quebec. His poetry feeds on landscapes of his
country in order to connect the poet to the universal themes of the
unknown and death. The poems show the duality of the man through the
look that the child-poet takes on distressing images: birds that
escape, forest fires, images exacerbated by the opaque transparency of
poetic language..."

https://www.poetryinvoice.com/node/2050

===================================================

This poem continues to make me think of Robin Williams, an actor I still
miss.

It's something we've run into before, the last time with Jim Senetto's
cento of Pink Floyd titles - the danger of a reference overwhelming the
poem. In this case the reference is purely accidental; it's a literal translation of Garneau's title (exactly the one Google Translate gives),
and he chose that title and conceit back in the '30s. I can't change it.

Yes, I know, while the title of the 1996 Robin Williams film is a translation of the title of the 1973 French play his film was based on, "La Cage aux Folles":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cage_aux_Folles_(film)

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