Suebob's Red Stapler: A little help

15 May 2007

A little help

Can anyone out there use the awesome power of the Internets to find me a copy of Jack Gilbert's poem "A Description of Happiness in Copenhagen"?

I have been google-stalking my sister. What a weird occupation, chasing after traces that someone has left on the internet to survive them. I guess it is like when people smell their departed ones' shirts for leftover scents. It may not be much, but it is what I have.

Anyway, she mentioned that that poem was something that was keeping her alive. I would love to get a copy.

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I have always been a lazy sumbitch but I am now setting new records for personal non-accomplishment. I feel quite proud that I made pasta WITH sauce AND a vegetable for dinner. That is about as good as it gets, however. Those cauliflower bits on the floor...eh. Makeup? Who needs it? Groceries? The milk doesn't smell THAT bad yet.
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Thanks for all the condolences. Eden of Fussy could use some, too. Her dad just died. She doesn't have comments open but her email is fussy AT fussy DOT org.

What a sad and beautiful world.

20 comments:

Serena Woodward said...: I went searching and so far haven't been able to find the text for that poem online. I did find an interview with him at NPR and they have him reading four of his other poems. I know it's not the one your sister mentioned, but if she likes his work, maybe you can find solace there too.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5370284

Barnes and Noble.com has two volumes of his work for sale, but I didn't see the one you're looking for listed in either volume. I'll keep looking. If I find anything, I'll come back and post the link.; 10:34 PM
Lady M said...: I'm so sorry, Suebob. You sister sounds like a wonderful person. Much love to you and your family.; 2:54 AM
Anonymous said...: I looked too. I got on Amazon and found a bunch of his books, but none of them listed what their poems were.

One of his books is called Heaven, and I think it was written fairly recently. That might be a good lead.

I remember when one of my close relatives died, I was so down in the dumps that I didn't want to pick things up or move them because of sentimentalness. A specific milk glass (eww!! I know) sticks in my mind. I kept thinking to myself, when I put that there, he was alive and well. Why should I move it??
Don't worry about the food on the floor. That is Goldie's job.; 6:22 AM
SUEB0B said...: Thank you for your efforts! I appreciate them!

Laura - Goldie doesn't eat cauliflower and I am kind of afraid of the consequences if she did LOL. But no fears. I swept this morning. Hear me roar.; 6:31 AM
jess said...: I sent you email to your snackish address - give me a ring, if you like.; 7:26 AM
Karl said...: Suebob, so sorry to hear about your sister. I've been terribly behind on blog reading. Hope you find that poem. I'm interested to read it.; 8:22 AM
Anonymous said...: A DESCRIPTION OF HAPPINESS IN KOBENHAVN by Jack Gilbert

All this windless day snow fell
into the King's Garden
where I walked, perfecting and growing old,
abandoning one by one everybody:
randomly in love with the paradise
furnace of my mind. Now I sit in the dark,
dreaming of a marble sun
and its strictness. This
is to tell you I am not coming back.
To tell you instead of my private life
among people who must wrestle their hearts
in order to feel anything, as though it were
unnatural. What I master by day
still lapses in the night. But I go on
with the cargo cult, blinndly feeling the snow
come down, learning to flower by tightening.; 8:36 AM
Anonymous said...: I didn't mean to comment annonymously with the poem but I forgot my blogger stuff. So sorry about your sister.
Susan; 8:41 AM
Anonymous said...: And I am guessing you found this. http://scoplaw.blogs.com/scoplaw/2004/04/jack_gilbert.html
Susan; 8:50 AM
Anonymous said...: oops
http://scoplaw.blogs.com/scoplaw/2004/04/jack_gilbert.html; 8:51 AM
Anonymous said...: Crap it won't all come up
after the last / the rest is
04/jack_gilbert.html; 8:53 AM
Anonymous said...: What a lovely poem. Suebob, I hope you find the traces of rememberance you're looking for.; 8:56 AM
Serena Woodward said...: I must be terrible at locating email addresses. Okay, so this is going to sound weird, but after reading your post about Dollar Rent A Car, I did what I usually do...I found someone that can fix it. I called their corporate office and talked to Chris Payne. He works with their public relations. He and I spoke at great lenght and he has been researching your problem...or the problem you had. He has just contacted me again asking for contact information for you so that he can have someone from the company contact you to rectify the situation....IE apologize. He says that you should never have been told you were supposed to call for a shuttle, things like that. Only problem is, I don't have contact info to give him. So, if you could email me....my email is in my profile...I'll drop you the emails he has sent me and you can contact him.

I figured that with everything that has been going on in your life, the least I could do was make sure Dollar apologized for screwing up the rental car. Drop me an email!; 8:59 AM
Anonymous said...: I always kind of wanted a "wild" yard because why does it have to be all prim and proper? What's wrong with natural? I don't have my own yard, but someday when I do I think I'll at least have a "wild" section, just like your sister.; 1:03 PM
lizgwiz said...: It's such a small world--I know Chris Payne (though I haven't seen him in years) and he's a good guy. Definitely get in touch with him. They should give you something free!; 2:04 PM
Serena Woodward said...: He seems like a nice person...so as soon as I hear from you Sue, I'll pass the information I have on to you.; 3:35 PM
Heather B. said...: Shall I be trite? Or shall I offer the lovely tanqueray that I know you love? I'll do both:

I am so, so sorry. I never know quite what to say when these things happen, but just know that I'm thinking about you and do hope that you're doing OK at least.

And the tanqueray is a no brainer. So never fear, I'm always here for that.

xo; 8:05 PM
SUEB0B said...: Wow. Thank you, everyone, for all your efforts on my behalf.

And Heather, I do believe I will take you up on that offer.; 8:14 PM
Anonymous said...: I am so sorry to hear about your sister. You are in my thoughts.; 11:47 PM
Anonymous said...: My thoughts are with you.; 11:22 AM