Bob Holman: Pick of the Week [ed. Terence Winch]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Another Day Elizabeth

 

Talking about coffee over coffee

     after coffee

This is morning, you forgot

How memories can steam

     in a hot quiet cloud

A blue line falls across love's

     face, as if the diagonal were

          a new direction

The only direction we'll ever need

Is up, as in get up

Out, as in get up out of bed

For now, it's a cup

     with two handles

Horizontally yours

Wish you were here and you are

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In 2023, Bob Holman read at Sundance and in Tbilisi, Tokyo, Oslo, Vienna, and the Parkside Lounge. 

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                                                                 Elizabeth Murray, Just in Time. © The Murray-Holman Family Trust

 

Comments

[Cindy Hochman]

Hey, I know Bob Holman. He is legendary here in NY. And I always love reading his unique poems. Ha, I happen to be drinking my coffee right now, so the "coffee talk" seems apt. Great poem, Bob. Great choice, Terence.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Cindy.

[Bill Nevins]

Beautiful eternal lines from dear pal Bob.
Mad love to him and his love.
"How memories can steam

in a hot quiet cloud

A blue line falls across love's

face, as if the diagonal were

a new direction

The only direction we'll ever need"

[Don Berger]

Bob Holman, what a gloriously new take on the world I have as I sip my coffee and reread your poem. I'm constantly surprised and thrilled as I move down through your lines through your fresh forceful subtle language. Thank you Terence for opening the gate into this realm.

[Jose F Padua]

❤️❤️

[Terence Winch]

Don: Thank you. Always glad to hear your voice.

[Sister Leslie]

Yes, beautiful…just beautiful…Thanks Bob and thanks Terence…

[Peter Bushyeager]

“Wish you were here and you are”. Beautiful.

[Denise Duhameld]

Love poem...Elegy...Gorgeous--so much emotion in such spare and beautiful language. Bob Holman is a treasure!

[Elinor Nauen]

I love Bob. I love this poem. I loved Elizabeth. And I love Terence & this weekly dose of hope. All this love comes from Bob & his love of poetry & his wife. And here we are.

[Terence Winch]

Leslie: thanks for your comment.

[Grace Cavalieri]

He is a legend, made permanent. I love his gentle side.

[Mary Louise Kiernan]

My hand is over my heart at this moment.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Elinor. And love back to you.

[John Clarke.]

Terence, Where is your original posting on Bob Holman & his wife on Facebook? - I want to add your introductory comments to my sharing of the poem. Thanks.

[David Lehman]

God bless you, Bob Holman. And what a glorious painting!

[Bill Zavatsky]

Thank you, Bob, and thank you, Terence, for this lovely poem!

[Terence Winch]

Thanks for the comment, Bill.

[lally]

such a perfect poem, Bob, and painting and photo, Terence, filled me with light and love

[Bernard Welt]

Wow, that is just so beautifully structured--as one would expect from the great Bob Holman. "Coffee," "cup," "direction," "up," "out," "horizontally," and the final ring of "here" and "are." You can almost read it without the other words and still get the tone of the poem; and the key change from the sound of "here" to "are" just condenses the "steaming memories" of the first lines. I mean, wow. I'm always hoping for this kind of musicality in contemporary poetry and am so happy when I encounter it.
And yes, terrific painting.
(You can tell I miss Helen Vendler already, right?)

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Michael. Glad you liked it.

[Bob Holman]

Oh my, you have made "Another Day Elizabeth" so happy!
So -- let's party!

Elizabeth Murray
Drawings (1974-2006): Curated by Kathy Halbreich
April 30 – June 12, 2024
Opening Reception: April 30, 5pm - 7pm
130 East 64th Street

Come to opening if you can -- see the show you must!
Thank you all,
Love, B

[Simon Schuchat]

Lovely

[Clarinda]

Brought tears to my eyes. Also clouds in my coffee..,

[Amy Gerstler]

to lean into the heartfelt simplicity of this, and to be so deeply moved by Holman's evocation of the vanished yet always present beloved, called to mind by the ghostly coffee steam, and to have that echo in the reader: complete and beautiful.