That day i finished
A small piece
For an obscure magazine
I popped it in the box
And such a starry elation
Came over me
That I got whistled at in the street
For the first time in a long time.
I was dirty and roughly dressed
And had circles under my eyes
And far far from flirtation
But so full of completion
Of a deed duly done
An act of consummation
That the freedom and force it engendered
Shone and spun
Out of my old raincoat.
It must have looked like love
Or a fabulous free holiday
To the young men sauntering
Down Berwick Street.
I still think this is most mysterious
For while I was writing it
It was gritty it felt like self-abuse
Constipation, desperately unsocial.
But done done done
Everything in the world
Flowed back
Like a huge bonus.
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Comments
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Can understand the feeling of elation and exuberance at a task finally done. Posted off with optimism, and the feeling of light-hearted gaiety that is induced. Even the sun seems to shine and the birds sing. Old clothes are not important. The feeling of lightness and at joy with the world is a heady intoxication.
This poetess has captured the feeling exactly with her words. -
Return visit
I have been drawn to this poem many times. I was moved by the bio of this poet and plan on reading her novel one of these days. This particular poem still puts a smile on my face. Here is the art of a one-way conversation that draws you in. The overall effect is one of grand achievement for a task completed for "an obscure magazine". It lays plain the effort/understaking that was involved with completing the assignment. I love how Smart compares her completion as the glow of love, especially the line about how it "shone and spun out of my old raincoat." The term "constipation" is great in that it is linked with self abuse and unsocial; these connote the utter intensity of the moment, the total cutting off of public view, social interaction, daily care and withdrawal towards the deadline. What this poem does for me is link her life with this poem. I feel that I can know her better, as though the humanness of her shines through. I also identify with her feelings of getting a task done. -
earthy
A sense of accomplishment does give a lovely glow. Lots of unexpected word choices, but they work. I love the reality of such lines, "I was dirty and roughly dressed/And had circles under my eyes" and "For while I was writing it/It was gritty it felt like self-abuse".
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I never thought the word "Constipation" would be used in this type of poem. Interesting.
Kate
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