Saturday 21 November 2009

A case of who?



Thanks for all your comments on the last post...they will all help me to put on some great events up here, I hope. I won't be doing anything too regular (heck, then it would start to feel like a job and I'd have to run away!) but the size and enthusiasm of the audience in October took me a little by surprise...and it certainly made me think it was worth moving into this a little further. Montrose is a small town (tiny really) but there's lots going on...an annual music festival, a great folk club, a new blues club, lots of local singing and theatre groups...and now some really brilliant poetry events too. Fantastic.

Speaking of poems, I know that lots of you like a bit of Joni Mitchell as much as I do (we talked about her a little back here). I even had the name Joni on my list of possible names for girls when I was expecting our wee 'un (though it wasn't what we went with in the end). One of Mitchell's songs that hangs about in my head now and again is 'A Case of You' (it's here...though sounding a little different to the 'Blue' version - lyrics are here). It has some great lines - “I live in a box of paints”...and so many others.

Anyway, here's a new poem of mine that uses some of this song whilst working out to myself some truths about a difficult relationship (can't tell you who it refers to but it's not Mark, that's for sure). See what you think.


Overdosed

I drank a case of you
Perhaps unwisely
And not surprisingly
I paid the price
Next time a thimbleful
Measured precisely
Would do me nicely
More than suffice


RF 2009




Ah, so much pain in 8 little lines. But I feel better now.

x

25 comments:

McGuire said...

Rachel McGough? I think so. :)

A wee bevvy, ten too many, I know it well; it needs to be done sometimes. I've cut down actually, I was going mad on the stuff, too much of the spirit of Dionysus in me. I've yet to 'drink' a relationship in quite that way yet...or, have all my relationships been drank like that?

Rachel Fox said...

Yes...me and Roger...Northern types with a sense of humour and an academic discomfort disorder. Perhaps.

As for the intakes...I've done too much imbibing across the board but without it what would life be? And I learn from it. Eventually.

It seems to be the case that I write in rhyme when I'm feeling cheerful and not when I'm not. But I might be wrong.

x

x

Marion McCready said...

Really like this, nice one!

The Solitary Walker said...

But do you know the real Northern version, Rachel?

Which goes...

I drank a crate of you
It tasted so bitter
Although it was lager
It made me quite blue
Next time I'll stick
To a wee wee dram
Or a small Babycham
Then I won't feel so sick

Rachel Fox said...

Cheers Sorlil.

Did you write that, SW? Not bad at all!

x

hope said...

I say "Cheers to you" but that seems wrong somehow. :)

Nice when you can take past experiences and right them on paper.

Rachel Fox said...

Thanks Hope...and it's linked to your post too, isn't it! Sorry I got a bit confused at yours this week. That'll teach me to skim-read (which I do all the time...bad habit!).
x

ken armstrong said...

I like this wee poem a lot. Sorry haven't been as regular, lost the Blo-jo a bit (no... blogging-jo) :)

Glad to see the blog thriving, I hope to be around more, words don't always come easy, do they? x

Rachel Fox said...

I just thought you must be busy writing a film script or something!

Come when you can...when you want to...that's all that's required.

x

The Weaver of Grass said...

Love the poem!

Dominic Rivron said...

Brilliant little poem!

Rachel Fox said...

Thanks mother and son double act! And I presume you're talking about my poem (and not our Walker friend's...).

It's odd though with little poems like this...you can't send them to the accepted poetry outlets (rhymes never win competitions...neither does anything with humour...poetry magazines don't print this kind of thing unless you're already famous...). So what do I do with it? Make another postcard I suppose.

x

Rachel Fenton said...

"constantly in the dark, where's that at?"...loads of great lines in that song, as you say...I like what you've done with it...

Totalfeckineejit said...

The hurt is palpable, the poem surely printable?

Rachel Fox said...

Thanks Rachel.

And TFE...what to do with the poems once they're in existence...the constant predicament! My poems generally appeal much more to (for want of better phrases perhaps) average readers or ordinary people than they do to poetry editors or judges of poetry competitions (who are, on the whole, other poets/poetry editors etc.). I work on getting the poems out into the world (and it works in its way) but I can't help feeling I'm heading more towards the posthumous success career path with every day that passes!

No, no! I'm in a good mood. Or I was...best go out for a walk. At least we're not flooded out of our house!

x

Rachel Fox said...

I did say 'working my way towards'. I am well aware that that could be beyond me too! As it were...
x

Dick said...

Neat, compact and punchy. Loved it.

Rachel Fox said...

Punchy. Love that too.
x

Dave King said...

That is a little gem. Brilliant.

Rachel Fox said...

Thanks, Dave. Much appreciated.
x

Niamh B said...

so concise, but moving. Well done

Dianne said...

I love your poems, and Joni's song lyrics as well. You both will inspire me, keep writing and singing and playing, for I am a live acoustic music junkie....
please send any feedback that might help to me on my blog, or websites to follow!

Rachel Fox said...

Thanks Niamh...and new visitor Dianne.
Unusually for me I haven't really got anything else to add at this point. Am I unwell? Possibly.
And so to bed...
x

Titus said...

Wake up! I like it lots too.

Rachel Fox said...

I'm awake, I'm awake!
Well, just.
Thanks.
It's a bit Wendy Cope, I suppose, but she hasn't done so bad, has she?
x