Wilbur's first book based on this game, OPPOSITES, was published in 1973. The poems in both volumes are a bit nutty, thoroughly entertaining, and downright clever. Here's one from MORE OPPOSITES."Richard Wilbur, his wife, and their four children used to play a rather unusual game around the dinner table. One member of the family would suggest a word, and then everyone would join in a lively quarrel about its proper opposite."
The opposite of kite, I'd say,
Is yo-yo. On a breezy day
You take your kite and let it rise
Upon its string into the skies,
And then you pull it down with ease
(Unless it crashes in the trees).
A yo-yo, though, drops down, and then
You quickly bring it up again
By pulling deftly on the string
(If you can work the blasted thing).
You might want to check out this video of Wilbur reading a number of opposite poems.
Mirror
ReplyDeleteThe opposite of mirror is the world.
(Some say it’s window, but not me.
I’m not fooled that easily.)
The mirror is a piece of glass
that shows what is willing to pass
and what’s still. It’s all there,
painted on glass like it’s real.
Only backwards. The mirror’s one trick.
Shimmery con, silver slick.
Turn around and you’ll see the whole world,
the real one the mirror’s unfurled.
Turn around to see all kinds of things—
turnips, doors, rivers, and rings.
(But if you want to look at your face,
only backwards, the mirror’s the place.)
—Kate Coombs, 2016
all rights reserved
...beautifully articulated, Kate.j
Delete...beautifully articulated, Kate.j
DeleteThanks, Judith! Love vs. idolatry, interesting juxtaposition. :)
DeleteThe difference between what we project on others (idolatry-made by our hands) and who they really are. j
DeleteSomwhat similar to vision of self in mirror v looking at reality. Similar as in cousin to. ;)
DeleteIdolatry
ReplyDeleteLove is a lesson that
cannot be taught. It
begins when he's caught
his tail in the door and is
covered in muck up to his
nose and stinks like a
skunk and you know that
a bath will not help. Not
one bit. It's your choice.
©2016 Judith Robinson all rights reserved.