Did you enjoy your swim Anna
Yes although it was a bit choppy
What are you doing
Asking you a question about your recent activity
No what is the book that you are reading
The Penguin Book of French Verse
I did not know that they wrote books for penguins
Funny
Do you understand French poetry
Most of the time
In the original language
Most of the time
But I struggle with French poetry when it is dark
Why is that Anna
Because I cannot see the words
Then you should switch the light on
There are no lights apart from the moon on the beach
And she is quite fickle at times
Is french poetry difficult to read
Yes
Why
It is difficult to read if you do not speak French
Really a person who is approaching French poetry for the first time
Will soon discover an impression of strangeness
Why
Well if you know Chaucer then you will understand Guillaume de Machaut or maybe Deschamps
Ronsard is very like Sidney
But it was the purification and abstraction of language that took place in the seventeenth century that changed things
French poetry became more rigid and classical in its structure
Wow Anna you certainly know your subject
I know fuck all
Then where did your commentary come from
This book it is in the introduction
Cheat
I never said that I was an expert
Have you ever heard of Aloysius Bertrand
No should I have heard of him
He died of TB before he was thirty-five
What is so special about him
Not much but he wrote some of the strangest prose poems ever written
What was it called
Gaspard de la nuit
The collection was collected under that title
Did he have a muse
Sort of
What was her name
No name was ever recorded
She is a ghost of history
But in 1828 he appears to gave been in love with an anonymous girl who is thought to have died young
Traces of her existence can be found throughout Louis’s entire works
Louis
Yes he was for some reason known as Louis
I know that Isidore Ducasse was known as the Comte De La Lautreamont
Outlaw told me that
But I did not know that
It appears to be a shortening that’s all
I wish I was a poet
So do I
They are such strange creatures
Outlaw certainly is
(Both Laugh)
Outlaw is a great poet but he knows how good he is
This makes him arrogant and insufferable
I wonder what he sees as his world it is far removed from Anna and Anna
I feel that he is troubled
That is why he can be such a shit
What do you think of his poetry
It can be quite oblique and is often very experimental
But he always surprises
Do you have a favourite poem
Yes
What is it
The Zennor Mermaid
That is one he wrote over ten years ago
I Know
Mine if I have one is Sea which was written I believe in 2014
It is just perfect
Do you think we should be kinder to Outlaw
No
Why
Because he is unkind to us
But he is a great poet
(Outlaw are you writing this)
(I have written the whole thing Anna)
(Why do you always haunt us)
(You are something of a voyeur Outlaw)
(I just like listening in Anna)
(Will you leave us alone now)
(Yes)
(Thank You)
(I am having dinner with Jasmine Tea and Lima you are welcome to come along)
(Is Penelope home)
(No)
(Will you come then)
Anna would you like to go to Outlaw’s for dinner
That would be fun
(Then be at my place at 0730 for 0800 as I have the food coming in from outside)
(OK)
(Come as you are and I might chat poetry to you both and give you tips)
(I cannot wait)
(I might even read some of my poetry to you)
(I am trembling with excitement Outlaw)
(Outlaw)
(Have you ever heard of Aloysius Bertrand)
(No should I have done)