Exercise 8 (or On Longing) by Pierre L’Abbé in response to Plein verre, Pierre Reverdy, (May 1940)
by Steven McCabe
As I walk the corners of the line square
line square
I realize there is somewhere “I might live
that is already lost to me”
It may lie outside this plane
On days when my heart circumscribes the straight
wall line
On days when my heart precedes me
circumnavigating the straight
It is the celebration of this summer
on the lateral
while my body an orifice drinking through winter
so I go my heart before me
possessing it
and suckle on the end of the line
that divides me from myself
where if only I were to make it to the end of this line
before the line
so would I watch its own application
evaporate as it goes before me
curling itself into flat spheres that are these points
of line for to be always
receding
before me
aaah
I know where I am and where this place is
that may allow me to be
It is of course the journey of the line
that joins them to me
that is unknown
It is. It is that it eludes me
were that all my longing would resolve into joy
were it a path to be found
Pierre L’Abbé has translated Pierre Reverdy and is currently responding to Reverdy’s poetry.
poemimage 
Beautiful blog. Is all the artwork yours? If so it’s striking and intense. Love it.
Hi Michel, thank you. Yes the artwork is mine. I digitally manipulate my ink drawings and create images which relate to the poetry. I appreciate your thoughts on the work.
I love the image below “receding / before me.” It’s as if from a subterranean place.
Hi Elana…yes, good point; burnt umber and amber hues & organic ink lines, I thought worked well with those words…those things ‘receding, before me’ might also be sinking into one, out of view (an interpretation!)
Glad to hear your impression concerning the subterranean feel…
Some great art here…
Thank you John. Much appreciated.
A gorgeous series of images. Inspiring work!
Thanks Karen. I was inspired by the poem and the haunting ramifications of awareness being expressed.
Always happy to visit and see a wealth of new things! It’s like a modern archetype.. so happy to see them!
Thank you Sarah, so glad you were able to drop by and have a look see. ‘Modern archetype’ has such an evocative, architectural feel to the phrase. Such food for thought. This sounds like a very good direction to be moving in.