I'd heard of a stony look. Was that one
you turned on me? Was I to be petrified?
But it seemed to me as beautiful as ever
and I walked from the house whistling into a sunset.
I took the look home and became uneasy.
I couldn't see it as other than limpid and shining.
Are you water? Or diamonds? I prefer things shifting
and lucid, not locked in a hard design.
I mustn't look at you with wrong eyes,
inventing what I want to see. Turn to me now
and let me know if I'm a millionaire
of water, or a pauper of diamonds.
'Means Test'
By Norman MacCaig.
June 1975.
6 comments:
Hey Alistair!
Again, you educate me. I barely make time read a newspaper, let alone poetry. I like this - "let me know if I'm a millionaire of water, or a pauper of diamonds". Nice wordplay.
Indigo
Glad to have piqued your interest
You should try some of the previous posts too if you like MacCaigs work. I don't go for the over long or flowery kind of poetry myself and he just gets it so right so often. In fact I barely read any poetry until recently.
I'll try and keep the quality up.
I agree with Indigo - loving the education, as always. Love the "pauper of diamonds", especially :)
Aye - we're none of us ever too old to learn are we?
Thanks Nicky
Liked various features of your blog!
Thank you for your kind comment Aamer. Nice of you ti say so.
Thanks for dropping by. See you again some time!
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