Help me find a poem

[resonant]

I'm looking for a sestina by Marilyn Hacker called "Nimue to Merlin." It was in an early collection of hers, one which I think had the word "city" in the title, and may also have been in some collected-works volume, though it isn't in the one I have.

If anyone has this poem, and could type it in for me, I would be eternally (or at least until Thursday) grateful.

Comments

[brynwulf]

I wish I knew it so I could help you, but also for myself. Sestina is one of my favorite types of poetry. Would you share the info if you find out?

[silverakira.livejournal.com]

I've typed up the poem, so here it is (http://www.livejournal.com/users/resonant8/85935.html?thread=1479087#t1479087) if you're still interested. :)

[brynwulf]

Thank you so much!! I am interested. Headed to it now.

[silverakira.livejournal.com]

I did a quick search, and one of the libraries in my area has "First Cities: Collected Early Poems, 1960-1979", which I think might be the collected-works volume that it's in, so I could type the poem up for you (although the earliest I could get it would probably be late afternoon tomorrow ).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Yes, it's in there (http://bookweb.kinokuniya.co.jp/guest/cgi-bin/booksea.cgi?ISBN=039332432X)

[silverakira.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good to know. Thanks for the confirmation! :)

[villeinage.livejournal.com]

Ohh, I love Marilyn Hacker. Such a good poet, and totally underrated.

(Sorry--just had to chime in with the Marilyn-love.)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Yes! Her poem 'Mother' is one of the only long poems I have memorized.

[jadedwallflower.livejournal.com]

i've looked everywhere. i feel like such a reject. sorry i couldn't help.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I had the same problem. I suspect it's not searchable because there's an umlaut or something in Nimue.

[silverakira.livejournal.com]

Okay, here it is. (Also, I have to thank you for the introduction to her work, because it's lovely. [grin])

Nimue to Merlin
Marilyn Hacker

Who are you anyway? Did it take long
to get here? I don’t live in a tower,
but I don’t have Thursday salons either.
I take care of my plants. I’m not as young
as I look, and I like to be alone
most of the time. May I fix you a drink?

Shoo off the cat. I usually don’t drink
before dinner, but I’ve had a long
day, working. Are you traveling alone?
I’ve heard about you. Once, I saw your tower
from the high road, when I was very young
and curious. I’m glad that I’m not either

now. And here you are, which means you’ve either
changed, or you want something. I wouldn’t drink
so fast if I were you. How young
you look. Your skin is like a boy’s, and long
hair becomes you. If you stood up, you would tower
over me. Don’t you find, when you’re alone

long, you lose eyes and voices, let alone
people’s taste and smells. Excuse me, I’ll either
embarrass myself or you. In your tower
when it’s almost dawn, and you can’t drink
or sleep more (I’m presuming) and it’s a long
way down, and some idiotic young

bird shrills up, do you think, when you were young,
if you’d let it hurt, let well enough alone,
things would have gotten better before long?
You wouldn’t be here now. I don’t think so either.
Here’s pears and cheese. I’ll make another drink.
Your hands are cold. Your neck is stiff as a tower.

It’s already late. The road back to the tower
is crowded with political loud young
men with no wives who’ve had too much to drink.
Do you want to go back there tonight alone?
I won’t keep you. I won’t chase you, either.
Sometimes the nights here are extremely long.

Lie alongside me. I’ll build you a tower
in my hand. You’re either too old or too young
to be alone here. Open your mouth. Let me drink.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Oh, a million thanks! I haven't read it for years, but I never forgot "Open your mouth. Let me drink."

I like her early formal work very much. Am less enthusiastic about her later free-verse stuff. Also, she was married to Samuel Delany, the sf writer, which is how I stumbled upon her.

Thank you so much!

[mammal.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I liked that very much! I like the sestina form a lot, but don't seek out new poets as much as, perhaps, I ought.

The title made me think of a book of poems I love -- looked for it for years, finally found it (out of print) -- Taleisin Through Logres, by Charles Williams. He was one of C.S. Lewis' Inklings. All Arthurian stuff, varying lengths and styles, most fairly formal. Some quite, quite lovely. Several poems are rather mathematical, which is what attracted me to it in the first place.

I will check out Marilyn Hacker. Married to Delaney, huh? Presumably years ago, before he came out?