Joanna McMeikan - Thoughts


Hello! Thank you for visiting www.joannamcmeikan.com, I hope you're enjoying surfing around my site... 9/23/04 -Brownie and Mister Whiskers So I found a new home! It has all been very exciting... and stressful... but I'm all moved in, and the place is almost furnished. It came complete with two very lovely stray cats who have adopted me - I can't let them in since I'm allergic, but I feed them and pet them and go talk to them from time to time. Their names are Brownie and Mr Whiskers. I have a few new songs brewing, and am viciously hoarding any and all creative thoughts for my songbook at the moment - and for the live shows I'm planning (first girl-with-guitarist performances will be at Borders Pasadena and Borders Glendale in November, first big performance that I'd love everyone to come to will be a full band affair at Genghis Cohen, 8.30pm sharp on Sunday November 28th - see NEWS page for full details.) So, rather than rambling on about something, I thought I'd share two of my favorite poems. Make of them what you will...! Hope to see you in November. xxxxxx "Pursuit" by Sylvia Plath Dans le fond des forêts votre image me suit. - RACINE There is a panther stalks me down: One day I'll have my death of him; His greed has set the woods aflame, He prowls more lordly than the sun. Most soft, most suavely glides that step, Advancing always at my back; From gaunt hemlock, rooks croak havoc: The hunt is on, and sprung the trap. Flayed by thorns I trek the rocks, Haggard through the hot white noon. Along red network of his veins What fires run, what craving wakes? Insatiate, he ransacks the land Condemned by our ancestral fault, Crying: blood, let blood be spilt; Meat must glut his mouth's raw wound. Keen the rending teeth and sweet The singeing fury of his fur; His kisses parch, each paw's a briar, Doom consummates that appetite. In the wake of this fierce cat, Kindled like torches for his joy, Charred and ravened women lie, Become his starving body's bait. Now hills hatch menace, spawning shade; Midnight cloaks the sultry grove; The black marauder, hauled by love On fluent haunches, keeps my speed. Behind snarled thickets of my eyes Lurks the lithe one; in dreams' ambush Bright those claws that mar the flesh And hungry, hungry, those taut thighs. His ardor snares me, lights the trees, And I run flaring in my skin; What lull, what cool can lap me in When burns and brands that yellow gaze? I hurl my heart to halt his pace, To quench his thirst I squander blood; He eats, and still his need seeks food, Compels a total sacrifice. His voice waylays me, spells a trance, The gutted forest falls to ash; Appalled by secret want, I rush From such assault of radiance. Entering the tower of my fears, I shut my doors on that dark guilt, I bolt the door, each door I bolt. Blood quickens, gonging in my ears: The panther's tread is on the stairs, Coming up and up the stairs. "DAYS" by Philip Larkin What are days for? Days are where we live. They come, they wake us Time and time over. They are to be happy in: Where can we live but days? Ah, solving that question Brings the priest and the doctor In their long coats Running over the fields. ****************************************** Random List: Best TV show: "Sex Talk with Sue Johanssen" on Oxygen -- Sue is a wonderful Canadian grandmotherly type who gives frank, funny (and useful!) sex advice. Favorite food: Plain yoghurt with raspberry fig newtons crumbled into it. I am listening to: Ryan Adams, Glenn Phillips (formerly of "Toad the Wet Sprocket"), Diana Krall's "The Girl in the Other Room" Favorite thing today: Brownie, the longhaired tortoiseshell stray cat who comes and sits outside my back door every night until I feed her. Least favorite thing today: Allergies, allergies, allergies. Oh, and allergies. **************************************** MORE POINTLESS RAMBLINGS TO COME SOON! **************************************** READ EARLIER RAMBLINGS BY CLICKING BELOW: 4/29/2004 - Birthday Ramblings 6/20/2004 - Princesses in the Post Office 8/02/2004 - The Mythology of the Past **************************************** E MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS! joanna@joannamcmeikan.com Write to Joanna with your thoughts, questions, opinions, suggestions.**

Hello! Thank you for visiting www.joannamcmeikan.com, I hope you're enjoying surfing around my site...

9/23/04 -Brownie and Mister Whiskers

So I found a new home! It has all been very exciting... and stressful... but I'm all moved in, and the place is almost furnished. It came complete with two very lovely stray cats who have adopted me - I can't let them in since I'm allergic, but I feed them and pet them and go talk to them from time to time. Their names are Brownie and Mr Whiskers.

I have a few new songs brewing, and am viciously hoarding any and all creative thoughts for my songbook at the moment - and for the live shows I'm planning (first girl-with-guitarist performances will be at Borders Pasadena and Borders Glendale in November, first big performance that I'd love everyone to come to will be a full band affair at Genghis Cohen, 8.30pm sharp on Sunday November 28th - see NEWS page for full details.) So, rather than rambling on about something, I thought I'd share two of my favorite poems. Make of them what you will...!

Hope to see you in November. xxxxxx

"Pursuit" by Sylvia Plath
Dans le fond des forêts votre image me suit. - RACINE

There is a panther stalks me down:
One day I'll have my death of him;
His greed has set the woods aflame,
He prowls more lordly than the sun.
Most soft, most suavely glides that step,
Advancing always at my back;
From gaunt hemlock, rooks croak havoc:
The hunt is on, and sprung the trap.

Flayed by thorns I trek the rocks,
Haggard through the hot white noon.
Along red network of his veins
What fires run, what craving wakes?
Insatiate, he ransacks the land
Condemned by our ancestral fault,
Crying: blood, let blood be spilt;
Meat must glut his mouth's raw wound.

Keen the rending teeth and sweet
The singeing fury of his fur;
His kisses parch, each paw's a briar,
Doom consummates that appetite.
In the wake of this fierce cat,
Kindled like torches for his joy,
Charred and ravened women lie,
Become his starving body's bait.

Now hills hatch menace, spawning shade;
Midnight cloaks the sultry grove;
The black marauder, hauled by love
On fluent haunches, keeps my speed.
Behind snarled thickets of my eyes
Lurks the lithe one; in dreams' ambush
Bright those claws that mar the flesh
And hungry, hungry, those taut thighs.

His ardor snares me, lights the trees,
And I run flaring in my skin;
What lull, what cool can lap me in
When burns and brands that yellow gaze?
I hurl my heart to halt his pace,
To quench his thirst I squander blood;
He eats, and still his need seeks food,
Compels a total sacrifice.

His voice waylays me, spells a trance,
The gutted forest falls to ash;
Appalled by secret want, I rush
From such assault of radiance.
Entering the tower of my fears,
I shut my doors on that dark guilt,
I bolt the door, each door I bolt.
Blood quickens, gonging in my ears:

The panther's tread is on the stairs,
Coming up and up the stairs.

"DAYS" by Philip Larkin

What are days for?
Days are where we live.
They come, they wake us
Time and time over.
They are to be happy in:
Where can we live but days?

Ah, solving that question
Brings the priest and the doctor
In their long coats
Running over the fields.

********************************************

Random List:

Best TV show: "Sex Talk with Sue Johanssen" on Oxygen -- Sue is a wonderful Canadian grandmotherly type who gives frank, funny (and useful!) sex advice.

Favorite food: Plain yoghurt with raspberry fig newtons crumbled into it.

I am listening to: Ryan Adams, Glenn Phillips (formerly of "Toad the Wet Sprocket"), Diana Krall's "The Girl in the Other Room"

Favorite thing today: Brownie, the longhaired tortoiseshell stray cat who comes and sits outside my back door every night until I feed her.

Least favorite thing today: Allergies, allergies, allergies. Oh, and allergies.

********************************************

MORE POINTLESS RAMBLINGS TO COME SOON!

********************************************

READ EARLIER RAMBLINGS BY CLICKING BELOW:

4/29/2004 - Birthday Ramblings

6/20/2004 - Princesses in the Post Office

8/02/2004 - The Mythology of the Past

********************************************

E MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS!

joanna@joannamcmeikan.com
Write to Joanna with your thoughts, questions, opinions, suggestions.