Poetry Museum

Ode to James Schulyer's: A Man In Blue 
by Gregory D. Rothbard
Entranced by Moby Dick on You Tube, this October afternoon
a grey cat is stalking string
around the living room, (he stealthy
pounces on it).  Next door
guinea pigs sleep.  "You got
a zoo."  sort of. A square metal bird cage
holds a tweaked "love-bird", pecking a wooden rod.
"You got a zoo..." The Melville day
lapses from drops to waves.   Grass,
 weather-beaten, as Orson Welles'  beard....
is stretched, ordered, pious above his wearied flock
"wide and high as an idea of heaven"
in which Melville turns his face like God upon exposed eyes,

John Houston amused at the dialogue.

and says, "There is something I must tell you!"
to Sir Orson Welles.   "In the First Movement
of my Ninth, think of it as if soldiers
going off to war first thing tomorrow,
in terms of other sermons.  A Pastors Prayers,
heavenly hymns ." Sir Orson Welles
in a white oxford, worn with suspenders says, 
"Let me read it for you."

Italics are words taken directly from the Poem.  I had no other way to write it... I want to give credit where Credit is due.  








What I have found by writing an Homage to  A Man in Blue by Schulyer:

1. One can never know how great a poem is until they attempt to write one in a similar style, one can easily remark: "Oh, that's nice dear!" Yet never truly understand how graceful the poet's rendering is.    
2. Schulyer is a master of comparing inside his apartment, and outside the world.   He does it with such graceful strokes that you can not but admire it.
3. I also think that his line length from 12-7-10 words creates a nice rhythm in which the reader is compelled to read further.  
4. Aspirations:  TO be able to write with out the aid of great poets with such eloquence.   Until then I hope you all like my attempt.
5. I am not sure how well the coherency of my poem works for me, am I relating two unrelated things, or is there two poems- hmmm.... 

Enjoy the movie of Moby Dick direct by Sir John Houston in 1956.
 watch it on You Tube: 
Also I do not believe that Sir Orson Welles was knighted, but his movies are of such great passion that he should be.  I also needed to keep the beat right Orson Welles is one beat short of Bruno Walter.  





Next Week I will re-render a poem by Jack Spicer...Stay Tuned.