Townsman, 1991-02, Page 391
Poems enjoyable
but sometimes
confusing
Baigent, Beryl. Absorbing The Dark
Goderich, Moonstone Press, c1990.
78 pp. Paperbound. no price. ISBN
0-920259-30-8.
This is the second volume in
Moonstone Press's Poets of South-
western Ontario series and follows
Sheila Martindale's No Greater
Love which was reviewed here
earlier.
The stated aim of the series is to
present "new works by poets of the
region who are helping to shape
contemporary Canadian literature".
Some volumes are to present the
work of well-known writers while
others will give a first presentation
to new artists. Baigent has publish-
ed six books previously although
none of them are known to the
reviewer. Some of the works pre-
sented in this volume have pre-
viously appeared in other publica-
tions including Alberta Poetry Year-
book. Canadian Author and Book-
man. London Poetry Anthology and
Poetry Australia.
The author was born in a small
mining village in North Wales,
attended grammar school in Britain
and in the University of Western
Ontario where she received degrees
in physical education and English
literature. She resides in Thames -
ford.
The book is divided into three
sections, The Great Goddess,
Woman as Power Channel and
Woman as Crone/Dragon. The first
section deals with relationships and
woman. Sometimes she is giving
her feelings about her daughter or
father or other relative and is
actively speaking to that person
while sometimes she is dealing with
her feelings about someone and
musing to herself. An example of
the latter occurs in My Welsh
Grandparents when she says:
Time lies upon them
In brambles and crab grass
Growing long over words
They depended upon.
In To My Daughter on Her
Wedding Day she addresses that
person directly and expresses her
feelings of warmth, happiness and
even regret at the change in their
bonds.
The second section changes focus
considerably and becomes more
involved with mythology both celtic
and eastern. The introduction pulls
in jungian psychology as well.
Women become the channels of
power which bring energy from the
still, calm centre to energize the
world and its people. Candidates
receive instruction and are the
renamed at significant periods of
their lives. In the previous section
there were short individual poems
whereas here there is a series of
interlinked presentations as well as
a few short poems.
And I want to sink below the
fluids
Into the weeds of the Aswan Dam
to discover
The Temples of Isis and be
remembered
By the goddess who rejects me
Whenever I expose my wings.
And she keeps me without
confidence
Except to fix the washers
And change the light bulbs
And be nice to the tenants
So they'll pay the rent.
The third segment of the book
deals with the psyche and its
development which may be full and
mature or which may be stunted,
infantile and childish if feeling
relationships are not properly culti-
vated. Here we also encounter the
darker side of human nature which
men see as destructive and negative
but which women acknowledge that
this is only one phase or aspect in a
continuing cycle and leads to regen-
eration and rebirth. This dark
period is when the soul is tested for
spiritual strength and commitment.
Eventually the goddess will
triumph. One must will oneself to
return to the light rebirth can occur.
Love is a nightingale
which sings with a thorn
pressed against his breast.
When the thorn is removed
the song is ended
The nightingale flies away.
It is very important to read the
one page introduction to each
section of the book if one is not
thoroughly familiar with celtic and
far eastern mythology and philo-
sophy as well as psychology. Only
then will the meaning and structure
of some of these poems become
accessible for most readers. Some
can be read and enjoyed on a
simpler level but others will mystify
and confuse. The author has tried to
pack a great deal into these brief
and sometimes cryptic writings.
Neither can one simply read this
book and leave it if one hopes to
comprehend the purpose or mess-
age here. Some sections will need
more than one reading and some
contemplation.
Some of these poems will be
enjoyed by the casual reader who
simply likes a short verse but others
will leave these people cold or
confused. Most of us will not find
comfort or understanding here be-
cause of our lack of background
knowledge. Unless there is a will-
ingness to commit to study there
will be no great appreciation of this
work. In other words the book will
find sympathy and a following only
with the devoted reader of poetry or
student or mythology.
Poems meant
to be heard
Reaney, James. Performance
Poems. Goderich, Moonstone
Press, no date, 104 pp. paperbound.
ISBN 0-920259-32-4.
Some poetry is meant for reading
quietly to oneself for contemplation,
inspiration and even comfort. Other
poems are meant to be read aloud
and perhaps to someone else. Some
can easily be sung or chanted.
Performance poems, on the other
hand, demand a stage or platform,
some actors, maybe sets and lights
as well as an audience. Interpreta-
tion is important as these are not
writings which can easily be read
TOWNSMAN/FEBRUARY-MARCH 1991 37