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open sky :: SAMVAAD | 30th April

sanjuktaa

hosts : Sanjuktaa Asopa & Kashiana Singh


the curve of his hand where midnight used to be


---- Jennifer Hambrick


(Heliosparrow Poetry journal,15th October, 2022)


12 Comments


Jennifer Hambrick
May 04, 2023

Not a shabby reading of my poem, Alan. Thank you for your kind and insightful words. And, alas, the poem has not been nominated for an award, though I suppose it's not too late for some ...


Glad you enjoyed. Again, my thanks.

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Alan Summers
Alan Summers
May 04, 2023
Replying to

Agreed re awards!

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sanjuktaa
May 03, 2023

I am not much good at interpreting a poem. When I came across this one-line verse, it simply mesmerised me with its sensuality and yet hinting at something beyond that. Here is what Jennifer Hambrick has to say about the making of this verse.


This poem aims not to capture a particular “haiku moment” from so-called objective reality, but instead to join the world in which we find ourselves with an imaginary world of my own creation.

The poem’s imagery is a mixture of the concrete and the intangible. The curved hand at the poem’s opening is a sensually suggestive image taken from the physical world around us. But the idea of “where midnight used to be,” or even that…


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Alan Summers
Alan Summers
May 04, 2023
Replying to

Interesting example of how concrete and abstract can work together and not dilute a haiku, and always interesting when a poet can expand on their writing.


Also objective realism does not need to be a constant in haiku.


the curve of his hand where midnight used to be

---- Jennifer Hambrick

Heliosparrow Poetry journal,15th October, 2022

https://heliosparrow.com/2022/10/19-8/

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Alan Summers
Alan Summers
May 01, 2023

Sadly all my extensive notes went up in vapour when I clicked published.


As I didn't make a copy I'll attempt something again.


the curve of his hand where midnight used to be


---- Jennifer Hambrick

Heliosparrow Poetry journal,15th October, 2022

https://heliosparrow.com/2022/10/19-8/


Wonderful poem, and refreshing that it's not a formula fragment/phrase or phrase/fragment, or switching up multiple meanings and variations.


It's a sensual poem and it's very tactile.


Interestingly enough "where midnight used to be" does not appear on an ecosia.org search and only turns up five times, if we include this webpage as well, on the infamous ***gle engine.


For me at least, I enjoy the lyricalness of this poem and how it matches two phrases and seamlessly…


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Kala Ramesh
Kala Ramesh
May 02, 2023
Replying to

Beautifully explained, Alan. _()_

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Alan Summers
Alan Summers
May 01, 2023

test

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Rupa Anand
Rupa Anand
May 01, 2023

Interesting & enigmatic.

the curve [of his] hand where midnight used to be

the clock's hand at midnight?


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