difficult
DIFFICULT
by hugh fox
Difficult to imagine how, as art-lit-theater-film-
centric as I always was, with Hugh and Connie
in the same body, an only child unused to having
anyone around but Mom, Dad and ancient Prague
grandma, getting totally involved with doctorates
and jobs in Hollywood, Caracas, Florianópolis
Brazil, ever managed to get married three times
and father six children who produced six grandchildren
all ending up in the same town with my three wives
so that holidays/everydays become as holy as the Thou’s that
wave their wings around us in reproductive-speculative
joy as they see the universe , if only at times like these,
fulfill the expectations of creation.
This is great with a little wierdness as to why the lines begin and end where they do. It went down like a mango smoothie, though, so I shouldn’t complain. Is that the author in the picture?
It is a photo of the author when he was younger. I’ve met Hugh a few times and I’m pleased he finally submitted work to us. The more you know about Hugh the more the poem makes sense, but even if you don’t I think the work reads very well.
As one seriously long sentence, it seems to lack a subject. As if an “I” should come after the “how” in the first line. Which is kind of interesting. The line breaks seem conventional enough, and effective – particularly the break at “Prague”. What do you find so strange about them, Shawn?
They’re unconventional, I guess. I dunno if I’ve ever seen a word (filmcentric) split lines. I had to learn to read the poem fast and in one breath, then it flowed. I think the last 3 and 3/4ths line(s) are spectacular.
Creeley did a lot of word splits like that, but you’re right – its kind of strange. The last line is what struck me, how it pulled the whole poem together in such a significant way. Made me want to read it again, right after finishing.