[New-Poetry] COMMENT ON KING & PADGETT INTERVIEW AND PERSPECTIVE ON FAREWELL PSALMS by gbemi tijani mst

[BY TJMST]

WHAT IF EVERYTHING WERE PERFECT ASKS GBEMI TIJANI MST-
A COMMENT ON  AMY & PADGETT INTERVIEW :HOW TO BE PERFECT
*FEAREWELL POETRY-A REVIEW OF LIFE AND MORTALITY & PERFECTION -IF NECESSARY



 an addenda on Padget 's catalysis :  I don't think Padgett isn't a
phenomenologist feeding on the visuals—God is in the details- rather than
the abstracts -gbemi tijani mst(011007)













…..Sequel to the comment below I was just extrapolating my thinking how
esoteric, compromising or again - what an epicurean duo Ron Padgett and his
drunk ally are to have hilariously imposed such a ludicrous project on
themselves. It could also be considered frivolous for an imperfect mortal
breathing in an imperfect world to prescribe perfection for another being in
a less alert state - *only from the cerebrals.* However nothing is a times
impossible when friends are gathered in an atmosphere of ecstasy or regular
recreational clubs. Dreams are tacitly divulged, special quest are let loose
for perspective sharing or synergy –especially if it involves intellectual,
professional or political elevation. These are normal and perfect behavior
patterns of men from time immemorial. Life and love are discussed and
barriers limiting total fulfillment - libido enhancement inclusive are often
freely bantered or hypothesized in such settings seriously or salaciously.
I'm not limiting libido here to mere sexuality but holistic creativity
as *Irving
Stone* (biographer of Sigmund Freud and Charles Darwin implied in one of his
books, *Passions of the Mind*.



As Amy King interview states ,the genesis of Padgett's book title–especially
HOW TO BE PERFECT was originally prompted from a friend who was drunk and
asked Padgett, the acclaimed author to tell him how one could be perfect.
Being a matured concerned accessible poet who isn't cocooned by ethical
impossibilities of man, he nodded a yes to such a gargantuan assignment. As
evidenced by a CANADIAN PHILOSOPHER POET,FRANCIS SPARSHOTT poets could also
philosophize and vice versa for philosophers – I guessed he was unruffled
but optimized he could prescribe some poetic values. He could have made him
a centre of literary gravity in the book. He could also be made a model
drunker. Femi Osofisan aka OKINBA LAUNKO,playright, an ex - cultural
adviser, notable lecturer, poet, columnist and prolific critique of Theatre
Arts Literature said during *an interview on Longevity-Is man or god in
charge?* an essay written by this writer 16 years ago that *writers are
character creators themselves*. A narrative poet or novelist or playwright
can determine the life span of an heroine or hero in a book or novella or
similar works of art purportedly envisioned to entertain or moralize his or
her audience.







Padgett must have surmised that man is essentially a protean creation. Today
he's socially compliant, tomorrow he falls far off from society 's moral
expectations. Man's barometers of honesty in money matters and purity or
weakness in women make a normal man (not just a drunk) imperfect in many
human societies from time immemorial. Yet, man is also tacitly stubborn to
attain perfection in decorum. He's also trying to fulfill his Creator's
standard of him-otherwise religion or belief model would be redundant in his
earthly sojourn. Then there couldn't have been any dos and don'ts guiding
his mandatory mortality and a hope of return to a paradise of bliss.



- Either as arts for arts sake or as a poetic challenge or mere literary
experiment I hope it will be an interesting reading if a poet can make a
philosophically positive or metaphorically lucid poem – IF EVERYTHING WERE
PERFECT for us all.



*In view of the possibilities, interpersonal geniality, interstate
cordiality, capacity building,, conviviality, multicultural understanding
and true love and customized wealth that will be the experience of world
citizens --*

*Will poets still create ideals which humans** must or ought to attain or
maintain to be fully fulfilled or engaged as poets?* Will poetry for
excellence be outmoded? Will utopia be commonplace? Will poets functioning
in such a near utopia be esteemed when compared to 20th century counterparts
faced with wide disparity in living conditions and access to public
amenities? Will poets be ecologically revered compared to unequal –ribs
milieu since mankind's *gregariousness prior to and after the cave dwelling*
?''



 What of good surgeons that prolong other lives, writers that sensitize
change for good governance on planet earth pending a *millennium poetic rule
by The Carpenter of Nazareth with His lovingly Nazarene team?*



*Can poetry* make perfection much more expediently attainable?

*WHICH CAN DO BEETTER- *religious practice out of faith or poetic practice
rooted in selfless infectious CREATIVITY, philanthropy?



 Ditto for Ron Padgett. This is amplified in the initial dialogue between
King & Padgett …

As a reader of poems and merely enthusiastic writer i love the auction that
*God is in the details*…Then the sky is the limit for* poetic imaging. Such
a humble writer can then* leave the interpretation or understanding of his
works to the lesser gods -the readers, anonymous critics WHO MAY NOT HAVE
60% PERFECTION themselves due to many incongruous illumina germane to
perfection.





* Will writers of nature and nurture be solely responsible or predominantly
responsive to the status quo-if everything were perfect? *

*Will perfection bring joyful transformation beyond poetic metaphors? *Will
some poets resurrect before rapture –as this is also a gallantly soothing
prophetic poetry of a perfect, albeit indefinitely assured nirvana
especially to friends in Christ, theologically speaking ? On the secular
premise –surmising that our Creator is not only Superior and Almighty in
knowing who and who will not inhabit his incredibly fantastic all round rest
kingdom hereafter –judging from His gorgeously elastic mercies some have
believed and popularized beyond folktales.



*          * Will heaven fail to accommodate the good peoples of whatever –
is-

          divinely practiced, as true religion provided it adorns the
Covenant keeper  Abba ,Father?

What of good surgeons that prolong other lives ,writers that sensitize
change for good governance on planet earth pending a *millennium poetic rule
by The Carpenter of Nazareth with His lovingly Nazarene team?*





I love those intellectuals - poets, authors, scientists or whatever their
callings that acknowledge or relate or root the raw materials or substrates
for deep musings or inventions to a superior intelligence variously named
Providence, God, Transcendental Being Or even a SUPERNATURAL
POWER-Olodumare, Oyigiyigi, Chi,omenana *ad infinitum*



Felicitations however for bringing this PERENNIALLY ACTIVE, ECLECTIC MIND of
Padgett to our readership. I wish I can grab any of his how- to *therapeutic
musings*–in the poetic clinic –he being an unabashed phenomenologist. I mean
any of the books-the real pudding itself! No qualms - poetic healing is
integral in the new millennium development readings-especially as
internet *surfing
is divulging rather than hoarding global literati across the periods *they
have been created ,archived or produced TO fruitfully active minds –whatever
their genre or affinity

…As for Ron Padgett 's facile fraternity with painters and visual artists I
'm not surprised at all. I was like that in the 70s and late 80s adoring,
fraternizing with novelists or composers who are also
poets,academics,activists,journalists who 're evidently bold and fecund in
their writings .This includes columnists like ALLAH –DE,DAN ABASIEKONG, DELE
GIWA,SONALA OLUMESE,ODIA OFEIMU,NOSA OSAIGBOVO,Mark Ighile,AL- BISHAK,
A.AKINKUOTO,AJIMATANRAREJE.These poet or writer –journalists dared to be
nearly perfect as columnists as far as Decree No 4 –limiting press freedom
then allowed-though this draconian decree was shortlived.Other African
poets, novelists and literary heavy weights, impact activists via poetic
surveillance and dramatic output beyond class teachings) provoked by
idiosyncrasies of their political habitats include the likes of WOLE
SOYINKA,CHINUA ACHEBE,JAMES NGUGI,CAMARA LAYE,,MONGO BETI, GABRIEL
OKARA,AMIRI BARAKA,ATUE OKAI,OLU OGUIBE.There are several other poets,
novelists who influenced me or healed my agraphia  when the mood was heavy
or the political climate was needlessly cloudy. American scientists and
sci-fi writers like Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Mitchell Bizley and
prolific and versatile writer like ISAAC ASIMOV have productively impelled
my writing praxis and evidently the short story and science writing world to
some degree of perfection beyond the critics' lens.



Although almost all  of us grow up in a typical village or urban community
where traditional or ritual arts or mere Yuletide festival 's pomp and
pageantry that integrates all strata of the society are more often the
initial witness of real arts and authentic performers-not fictional artists
as dancers, drummers oracular priest or priestess and mandatory puberty
group performance. Some people are still not EARTHLY PERFECT.
Anthropological travelogue has revealed that this isolated tribe doesn't
wear clothes nor sheath  genitals.



Memoir of early childhood can't be exhaustive without these  poetically rich
events Surely not all are celebrated nor observed without some reverence to
the ancestral gods but freedom of religious worship is always
available-except that nothing should be done to cause any entropy. For
instance *,Edwin Obilo*'s narrative (SPLASH FM 1055) of THE GODS ARE NOT
BLAME  and the violation of THE WEAK OF PEACE when the prince stole a
precious item and injustice was evidently retorted instantly. Nnana the
innocent was to be sacrificed -in this case  to be swallowed by a  python!.
The python vomited instantly because the victim   wasn't the thief that
stole the lost item. This is not  anti-peristalsis as such. Endogenous
culture  novelists such as D.O.FAGUNWA,AMOS TUTUOLA,CAMARA LAYE have
authored classic truthful fictions culturally rooted on the mystery of
traditional societies--especially informative and almost perfectly rendered
works such as FOREST OF A THOUSAND DEMONS translated by WOLE SOYINKA,NOBEL
LAUREAT,1986,THE PALM WINE DRINKARD (acclaimed to be the first experiment as
a novel ever written in Africa and THE AFRICAN CHILD(L'EFANT AFRICAINE)
respectively.



*IF EVERYTHING WERE PERFECT will there be demons tormenting human beings or
criminals armed enough to kill and disturb peace  in today's cities?*

One  should not only mention the OSUN OSHOGBO AUGUST FESTIVAL recently
designated by Unesco  as one of the world's cultural Heritage  Site but also
should include The New Orleans daily jazz itinerary, the trepidation but
fabulous burial ceremonies of archaic Japan's Kings and  chiefs of ancient
Africa.Above all else globally noticed Nigerian Painter ,,Bruce
Onaibraikpeya and immensely gifted sculptor like PA LAMIDI
FAKEYE.Thetheatrical triumphs of early travelling theartres such as
DURO LADIPO's
SANGO,OBA KOSO,HUBERT OGUNDE'S dance drama will ever remain permanently
significant works of art worth archiving by the Federal film corporation of
Nigeria.



 **

*FAREWELL POETRY…*

 (mixed impressions about life,vanity,destiny and immortality)



Quiet recently - as frequently experienced elsewhere too -CHRIST THE GOOD
SHEPHERED CATHOLIC CHURCH ,FELELE,IBADAN organized a  thought -provoking
funeral mass for her departed member, the lovely MADAM HENRIETTA MODUPE
LAOTAN,who passed on to glory at 80 and survived by many children and
grandchildren including CHIEF BANKOLE LAOTAN a rotarian ,who's also a PAST
PRESIDENT. Like father like son as they say when describing someone as the
chip of the old block.

Mama was not only remembered for her QUEENS' ENGLISH but also commended for
her  boundless love, compassion and geniality to church members and
her  consistency
in mandatory activities such as the early morning prayers..



*LET US PRAY,* the priest said after the mass of the dead

ALMIGHTY GOD OUR FATHER

WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT YOUR SON DIED AND ROSE TO LIFE

WE PRAY TO OUR SISTER,HENREITTA MODUPE LAOTAN

WHO HAS DIED IN CHRIST.RAISE HER AT THE LAST DAY TO SHARE IN THE GLORY

OF RISEN CHRIST.GRANT THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD



*ALL* *chorused AMEN*.



As already amplified below the immortality of souls ,the second coming of
The Lord ,the hope of rapture for those who are not yet asleep as the
translated believers, the fact that we are sinners and are helpless by our
mere good works to receive forgiveness except through Christ, our Lord and
Saviour



HELP LORD THE SOULS…



Help Lord the souls that thou hast made

The souls to Thee so dear

In prison for the debt unpaid

Of sins committed here.

(  )

Oh, by their patience of delay,

Their hope amid their pain

Their sacred zeal to burn away,

Disfigurement and stain.



Oh, by their fire of love, not less.

In keenness than the flame,

Oh ,by their very helplessness

Oh,by Thy own great Name.

*All of the redeeming prayers that followed point to one vital need of
believers that died in Christ -the granting of the eternal rest by God, the
Most High. Even then salvation is basic to receive help from the saints of
God who will shepherd us to Abraham's side.

The invocation on the left side is eloquently a way shower and the common
hope in faith to all these conditions is the ultimate eternal safety to
glory through *The Lord's response in SAVING HIS PEOPLE*...:





By Christ's coming as man ,

By His birth

By His baptism and fasting,

By His sufferings on the cross

By His death and burial

By His rising to new life

By His coming again in Glory…..



After this invocation-a resurrection of life is assured and the leading of
the departed by the

Angels to where Lazarus is no longer poor is a guaranty in faith. As the
Lord himself said

*I'm the resurrection and the life*

*The man who believes in me will live, even if he dies*

*Every living person who put his faith in me will never suffer eternal
death.*



GOOD ENOUGH! During her special sleep in the church, Madam *MODUPE HENREITTA
LAOTAN* WASN'T JUST IDENTIFIED WITH CHHRIST-- knowing that that is her
ultimate  lordly garment -she  also came in flesh from somewhere!

Her glorious passage was also lamented by the rich ORAL PRAISE POEM (ORIKI)
of the OWUS OF ABEOKUTA. Towards the last part of the funeral rites one of
the daughters recited the Oriki-the family root to a mixed congregation of
catholics,non-catholics,Moslem friends Rotarians from District 9130,
pressmen and relations of Madam Laotan from farand wide.

The church auditorium was nonetheless charged with memories as the Oriki was
impeccably recited:



 THE OWUS OF ABEOKUTA.



OMO OLOWU ODURU

IBI ESO POJU OMIDAN LO

OMO AJILA

OMO A RI OTI WE BI OJO

OMO ASUNKUN GBA ADE

OMO A FI OKAN JE OYE



OMO OKE A BI JUWON

OMO ONIWO –IWO MODU OLA

IWO KO NI ILEKUN

BENI KONI KOKORO

ERU WEWE NI O FI DELE

OMO ADEBOSIN

    *Sun re o ,iya dada*

*   This translates to mean*

*ADIEU, THE GOOD MOTHER*

* *

*The ORIKI is the family oral poetry that informs or traces the genealogy of
the person -dead or alive .There's hardly any Yoruba person that lacks this
vital PRAISE OR TRACE POETRY. Any trace of resemblance with other family
history in the same village – far or near show that there must have been
some  mass migration or  group exile  warranted by  civil war-or discontent
provoked by land dispute or booty sharing or unfulfilled political ambition
.Democracy has existed in African clans and traditional ruling system far
before colonial experience but there are checks and balances
too.Forinstance,The ex-President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief
Olusegun
Obasanjo hails from OWU,Abeokuta,is also an Owu Chief till date .If you
extrapolate the meaning of line 4-7

    OMO AT ILE TA BI ISU

i.e* the one that's already groomed for any travail or war or challenge*

     OMO A RI OTI WE BI OJO

…*especially if the deal is daringly worthy and congruous to values in vogue
*

   OMO ASUNKUN GBA ADE

    OMO A FI OKAN JE OYE











 (This* also portrays the owus as resilient go-getters –whatever it takes *

*They are rarely undaunted in struggle….*

*This characteristic trait is also amplified in the only Rotarian in the
family. By classification he's a public relations consultant after a stint
with NIGERIAN TELEVISION AUTHORITY. He was asked to give birth to another
rotary club  by the District Governor .He didn't give up  until the baby
club was chartered by ROTARY INTERNATIONAL and witnessing the club 's
doubling in membership also gladdens his mid-wifery.*

*The life of people in trouble and their strategic vehemence in getting out
or averting the trouble altogether*

*Oriki also narrates the ancestral identity of a family or lineage of
families -sometimes from very far past to the faintest present cultural
niche of that family personality.*

* *

Sequel to my reading 3 CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE POETS published by Unesco  in
the 70s.

I was so challenged to do a modest translation of my ORIKI .I disclosed this
literary urgency to an auntie, MADAM MOJOYIN AGBEDEYI nee IDOWU in Lagos who
burst out INSTANTLY in a repertoire of oral poetry specifically

ORIKI of OKE AGO. -I succeeded in uploading or shall I say  in translating
only one -tenth to the times international  1- page Journal of special
poetry in 1990. Albeit I was paid left and right for doing a mere rudiment
to the real thing –it provoked avalanche of such oral arts in the DAILY
TIMES stable and elsewhere AKEEM LASISI was doing fine with performance of
another genre  -not inextricably separate from IJALA POETRY apart although
ours was  actually a mountainous collection  ORIKI  of the  AREMUs AND
AJEJIs  .









* *

*If everything were perfect will death ever exists to terminate every man's
life no matter how good or careful or wealthy or kind or healthy or
magically powerful?*

*Will immortality guaranty happiness?*

*Is happiness actually the ultimate solution or  the sole delightful
experience of humankind?*

*Heroes, friends, the beloved ,famous pastors and poets and politicians
together with  scientists that have even patented drugs or techniques that
can prolong lives of others have died just as **the ordinary folks too in
the villages will die …does that mean life is vanity?***

*Sometimes I wonder which joint devotion or poetry has the most or provoke
the kindest aspect of humanity -is it the poetry of lyrics when we are
celebrating something joyous or the mournful prayers when a dear one is
translated and we are regretting the precious loss?*

*Which of these states of emotional states is or are biochemically
healthier? *



*Is bereavement imperfectly alien to a typical mourning soul?*

*Will funeral ceremonies and the encyclopedia of devotions and delightfully
buoying notes of heavenly bliss than earthly harshness -a  pot-pouri of
disease entities enrich  mortality  much more effectively than preaching or
ministrations by choir when nobody is lost or sick or a disaster is prayed
against?*





My acquaintance and detailed 'browsing' of their etchings and carvings in
their studio-especially TOKI MEMORIAL ART STUDIO before the internet era in
Africa have opened other anthropological raw matter for original review
articles with visual artists' works till date. *Birds of the same feather
always flock together* *It isn't then un–Padgett to reecho that ornithology
specimen of identical plumage invariably congregates at the closest
proximity.*



*Gbemi tijani mst*,sat061007







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