I should share the quote from which the title of the blog is taken:
"For this soul needs to be honoured with a new dress woven
From green and blue things and arguments that cannot be proven."
- Patrick Kavanagh, "Canal Bank Walk"
Patrick Kavanagh was an Irish poet who grew up on a small farm in County Monaghan and walked all the way to the city of Dublin to begin his career as a poet. He was never wealthy during his lifetime; he made a few bob (Irish slang for cash) writing for magazines and newspapers, although he was typically fired for his fiery temper or his penchant for wandering off-topic. Late in life, he depended on friends and elderly women for his living.
He suffered a heart attack in the 1960s, and wrote this poem shortly thereafter. It's about the pleasure he takes in simply sitting by the waters of the Grand Canal in Dublin, watching the water and the people passing by. Kavanagh's soul may have grown weary from a life of poverty, hardship, and obscurity - but instead of submitting to weariness, he decides he can "dress" his soul in art and ideas that transcend the material world, ideas and wonders that cannot be proven by physical science. The quote celebrates the power of human thought to overcome the difficulties and set-backs of human life. The quote resonates with me because I believe that poetry - the use of words to express beautiful thoughts - makes my life better, even when material things (or my lack thereof) worries me. This is my "argument that cannot be proven."
Personal note: The last time I was in Dublin, I stole a pint glass from the same bar where Kavanagh used to drink.
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2 comments:
Wayne! It's about time you started a blog. I just got a chance to check it out and when I had seen that you had already had half a dozen posts up, I didn't think I'd have time to catch up with them right away. Your posts are so engaging that I've just read every one, despite needing to get to bed.
Keep it up.
Cheers Noon....thanks for the comments (it's you, the fans, that make this all worth while). Just kidding...I enjoy writing them. Now if only I wasn't so lazy, I'd write something a little more substantial - one thing at a time, I suppose.
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