Does anyone know the name of this poem?

August 24, 2006 2:28 PM

Trying to figure out the name of a poem... it starts something like "no one expects / very much from poets anymore / not flowing prose / or expert sex / or even absentmindedness..." I can't find it anywhere (even the google). Any help?
posted by tngrn to Writing & Language (4 answers total)

Google gave me the writer's name (Thomas Kinsella) and part of the poem, but not the name of the poem itself. If you can get your hands on a copy of The Collected Poems 1956-1994 (The Oxford Poets), apparently "virtually all his poems" are in there.
posted by oldtimey at 2:55 PM on August 24, 2006

Using oldtimey's info, I was able to find out that it is the prologue (apparently untitled) to Kinsella's Downstream. Available here.
posted by Urban Hermit at 3:15 PM on August 24, 2006

You're not the only one. :)
posted by Jofus at 4:48 AM on August 25, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks! You guys are awesome!
posted by tngrn at 3:41 PM on August 25, 2006