I've just revised a poem written years ago, a poem that delineates the different responses of four readers, of different generations, to the seminal nationalistic poem by Edwin Thumboo . Thumboo is reckoned to be the first major Singaporean poet writing in English. First, Thumboo's poem, then followed by mine. ULYSSES BY THE MERLION (for Maurice Baker) I have sailed many waters, Skirted islands of fire, Contended with Circe Who loved the squeal of pigs; Passed Scylla and Charybdis To seven years with Calypso, Heaved in battle against the gods. Beneath it all I kept faith with Ithaca, travelled, Travelled and travelled, Suffering much, enjoying a little; Met strange people singing New myths; made myths myself. But this lion of the sea Salt-maned, scaly, wondrous of tail, Touched with power, insistent On this brief promontory... Puzzles. Nothing, nothing in my days Foreshadowed this Half-beast, half-fish, This powerful creature of land and sea. Peoples settled here, Brought to th
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That said, the idea of bringing good writers and webzines to the attention of the USA print poetry world is good. But as a neutral outsider, I've got to say that of the 8 poems I've read so far, none of them struck me as particularly worthy of note. They were OK, the kind of poetry I'd expect to read on opening an average-quality magazine at random.
yes, the compilation is very American-centric. I have not read the other poems, but the winning poem I enjoyed.
Jee
sorry for the confusion. I thought there was one winning poem, but I was wrong. The poem I enjoyed is David Graham's "Against God," the first poem on the list.
Jee Leong