BlackCatBone byJohnBurnside

JohnBurnside(bornin1955)hasachievedwidecriticalacclaimasapoetandnovelist,winningthe WhitbreadPoetryAwardin2000forTheAsylumDancewhichwasalsoshortlistedfortheForward andTSEliotprizes.BorninScotland,hemovedawayin1965,returningtosettletherein1995.In theinterveningperiodheworkedasafactoryhand,alabourer,agardenerand,fortenyears,asa computersystemsdesigner.HispoetrycollectionsincludeTheGoodNeighbour(2005)andSelected Poems(JonathanCape,2006).HeisaformerwriterinResidenceatDundeeUniversityandnow teachesattheUniversityofStAndrews.BlackCatBone(JonathanCape)ishiseleventhbookof poetryandwonthe2011ForwardPrizeforthebestcollection. BlackCatBonereviews Hispoetryisbestwhendwellinginpossibility,theimaginationhavingbeenskilfullypersuaded,by rhythmandbyimage,topostponemakingupitsmindindefinitely.(MWynnThomas,TheGuardian) ThistalismanicqualitytoBurnsideisexplicitlyevokedinthetitleofthiscollection:ablackcatbone isacharmusedbypractitionersofAfricanAmericanmagic,inwhichtraditionitisprovidesapositive influence.Burnsideexploresthedarkerconnotationsimplicitinanymagic,withdeathanddarkness stalkingthroughthebookwithundiminishedpower,astheyhavedonesincethestarkmythologising ofhisdebutcollection,TheHoop.(www.bookgeeks.co.uk) NotesTowardsAnEnding
Nomoreconversations. Nomorewedlock. Nomoreveinofperfumeinascarf Ihaventwornformonths,hervoicecomeback tohauntme,andtheHundertwassersky Magnificattohowajiltedheart refuseswhatitoncemistookformercy. Itsneverwhatwewanted,everafter; weaskedforsomethingelse,alifelongReich ofunexpectedgiftsanddolcevita,

peachblossomsmudgingtheglassandaseasoned glimmeroftheolddaysinthishouse where,everynight,wetriedandfailedtomend thatfeatheredthingwebroughtinfromtheyard, afteritcametogriefonourpicturewindow.

PieterBrueghel:WinterLandscapewithSkatersandBirdTrap,1565
Wehavetoimaginethedutiestheyleavebehind forthethrilloftheriver, thekitchensandmiddens,thesheepfoldsandcloudedbyres, theoldfolkintheirsickbeds mumblingprayers. Thedayisbright andthisistheirescape fromhardship, buteachhashisprivatehurt,hersecretdread: themanwhostartsthirstyandtired,hisbodysoured withlastnightsschnapps, thenskatesouttothebridgeatbreakneckspeed, awayfromthelovelessmatronheshadtoendure fordecades; thewomaninblueandgrey,keepingpacewithherchild, untroubledfornow,butneverreleasedfromthefear thatherhusbandwillcatchherwastinghisprecioustime andbeatherashesbeatenherforyears, themomenthegetsherhome. Atmidstream,thechildrenplay withmakeshifthockeysticksand,nearthechurch, amanfindsthethoughtlessgrace oftheboyheoncewas toglidefree intheveryeyeofheaven; itcouldbesimpleparadiseforeseen butupontherightmostbank,amidthornsandbriars, someonehasbuiltabirdtrapfromaplank setonaperch,fromwhichalengthofrope snakestoahalfcloseddoor, andallaroundit,birdsdipfromtheair, starlingsandfieldfares,redwings,unaware ofanydanger. Itseemsafableandperhapsitis: weliveinperil,diefromhappenstance, acasualslip,afaultlineintheice; butsurelyitstheotherthoughtthatmatters, thesensethat,nowandthen,theresstillachance amanmightslidetowardsanold Learnfromthispicturehowwejourneyintheworld Slitheringaswego,thefoolishandthewise

belonging,momentarilyinvolved innothingbutthepresent,skatingout towardsawhite horizon,fair andgiftedwiththegrace toskateforever,slitheringashegoes, buthazardingaguessthatsomeoneelse isclosebesidehim,othertohisother.

AlinktothepaintingofWinterLandscapewithSkatersandBirdTrapcanbefoundhere: http://www.wga.hu/framese.html?/html/b/bruegel/pieter_e/01/13winter.html. OtherbooksbyJohnBurnside: AsylumDance(Cape,1999) SelectedPoems(Cape,2006) ALieAboutMyFather(Cape,2007) TheHuntintheForest(Cape,2009) JohnBurnsideontheWeb http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=1178