Comments on: Nancy Willard http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/ A forum for discussing poems and poetry Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:09:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Lee http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-369 Lee Tue, 21 Jun 2005 06:29:33 +0000 http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-369 This poem has dogged me all night. There are many fine images and wordings. Tired, I will only ask what it means that her faith guide was a rabbi, when she is not Jewish. On an aside, I found her observations of stop lights to be one of those minutia-as-survival moments. This poem has dogged me all night. There are many fine images and wordings. Tired, I will only ask what it means that her faith guide was a rabbi, when she is not Jewish.

On an aside, I found her observations of stop lights to be one of those minutia-as-survival moments.

]]> By: Michael http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-368 Michael Fri, 17 Jun 2005 03:42:57 +0000 http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-368 The one thing that really stood out to me on first reading was that she referred to her baby as her <em>client</em>---religion as contract, indeed. Of course, I'm a Cynic when it comes to spiritual beliefs and protestations, so I suppose I'll leave it at that. I'm also a bit curious about what cries of fishes and stars sound like, and tunings of hair. The one thing that really stood out to me on first reading was that she referred to her baby as her client—religion as contract, indeed. Of course, I’m a Cynic when it comes to spiritual beliefs and protestations, so I suppose I’ll leave it at that. I’m also a bit curious about what cries of fishes and stars sound like, and tunings of hair.

]]> By: Ethan http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-367 Ethan Fri, 17 Jun 2005 00:35:23 +0000 http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-367 fuck it. spelling is byzantine. fuck it. spelling is byzantine.

]]> By: Ethan http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-366 Ethan Fri, 17 Jun 2005 00:33:24 +0000 http://mindofwinter.org/2005/06/15/nancy-willard/#comment-366 I was struck by the movement of the protagonist's search for aide in saving her child. She first turned to the courthouse but then turned to the Rabbi. To me, the most poinient moment is the signing of the papers (Alan is right to call it a "contract" - though "covenent" might be a good word too). The contractual nature of faith - the deal-making nature of faith - is facinating to me. Save my unborn child and I will sign - purhaps sign anything. This is to say nothing about the language, of which she has some excellents turns of phrase, but there is more to say than I have time for at the moment. As an aside, I was checking my spelling for the word "poignant" on www.dictionary.com and there are some facinating bits about it - like "Keenly distressing" and "Agreeably intense" and "Sharp or sour to the taste." http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=poignant I was struck by the movement of the protagonist’s search for aide in saving her child. She first turned to the courthouse but then turned to the Rabbi.
To me, the most poinient moment is the signing of the papers (Alan is right to call it a “contract” - though “covenent” might be a good word too). The contractual nature of faith - the deal-making nature of faith - is facinating to me. Save my unborn child and I will sign - purhaps sign anything.
This is to say nothing about the language, of which she has some excellents turns of phrase, but there is more to say than I have time for at the moment.

As an aside, I was checking my spelling for the word “poignant” on www.dictionary.com and there are some facinating bits about it - like “Keenly distressing” and “Agreeably intense” and “Sharp or sour to the taste.”
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=poignant

]]>