Molloy

[pomespennyeach]

rev. 2

I heard the horn
in the dusk. It came from
down by the river.
How Molloy got there I don’t know.
His legs have stiffened,
he can only crawl,
but I heard it, twice.
Yet why would he who abhors succor
from man or angel or even dog,
honk his bicycle horn?

Unless it was to acknowledge
that he resonates distress.
Yet, the act of pulling forth
from his greatcoat, while flat on his face
on the bank or sinking slowly
beneath the river surface,
his little horn to give it a final toot,
would show he already knew
no one would listen.

Well, yes, that fits Molloy.
What he crawled into
he can crawl out of,
that would be a syncretic response.
He wouldn’t want it
any other way.


*****************************************************************************

I heard Molloy’s horn
in the dusk. It came from
down by the river.
How he got here I don’t know
his legs have stiffened
he can only crawl
but I heard it, twice.
Yet why would Molloy,
who abhors succor
from man or angel or even dog,
honk his bicycle horn
unless to acknowledge
that he resonates distress
yet the act of pulling forth
from his greatcoat, while prone,
menaced by water moccasins
or sinking slowly beneath the river surface
his little horn to give it a final toot
would show he already knew
his horn would sound unheeded.
Well, yes, that fits Molloy.
What he crawled into
he can crawl out of,
that would be a syncretic response.
Molloy would want it that way.

[Macavity]

Hi PPE,
Were you tempted to nail the title with the word syncretic? Or use Beckett rather than Molloy? Is there a difference between the two? Not suggesting you should, but I wondered if it was a consideration.

some suggestions, mainly punctuation...

I heard the horn
in the dusk. It came from
down by the river.
How Molloy got here I don’t know.
His legs have stiffened,
he can only crawl,
but I heard it, twice.
Yet why would Molloy,
who abhors succor
from man or angel or even dog,
honk his bicycle horn?

Unless it was to acknowledge
that he resonates distress.
Yet, the act of pulling forth,
from his greatcoat, while prone,
menaced by water moccasins
or sinking slowly beneath the mud surface
his little horn to give it a final toot,
would show he already knew
it would sound unheeded.
Well, yes, that fits Molloy.
What he crawled into
he can crawl out of,
that would be a syncretic response.
Molloy would want it that way
if he had a choice.

best

mac

[ray miller]

I don't know the book but enjoyed this nonetheless. The ending is very Beckett.

unless to acknowledge
that he resonates distress - seems a bit long winded, "his distress" would do it.
yet the act of pulling forth
from his greatcoat, while prone,
menaced by water moccasins
or sinking slowly beneath the river surface
his little horn to give it a final toot

Could do with more punctuation, I think. Semicolon after "distress"? Comma after "surface"?

[pomespennyeach]

Hi PPE,
Were you tempted to nail the title with the word syncretic? Or use Beckett rather than Molloy? Is there a difference between the two? Not suggesting you should, but I wondered if it was a consideration.

best
mac

Titles are my downfall. This is my third reading of Molloy in as many decades. He's become almost a real person to me. So no, I don't think he and Beckett are the same.

I was thinking "Molloy on the Guadalupe River" at one point, but that seems misleading.

Thanks for the suggestions on changes.

[pomespennyeach]

I don't know the book but enjoyed this nonetheless. The ending is very Beckett.

unless to acknowledge
that he resonates distress - seems a bit long winded, "his distress" would do it.
yet the act of pulling forth
from his greatcoat, while prone,
menaced by water moccasins
or sinking slowly beneath the river surface
his little horn to give it a final toot

Could do with more punctuation, I think. Semicolon after "distress"? Comma after "surface"?

Good to know you got something without knowing the book. That was my goal, to express the character as he has come to haunt me, but to write it in the same tone as Beckett uses.

Like your suggestion on "distress".

thanks for the read.

[Leaf]

Hi PPE,

Like Ray, I don't know the book yet really enjoyed this. I agree with mac's suggestions and I look forward to seeing where you take this poem

Best wishes,
Leaf

[CalebPerry]

I want to comment on your poems, PPE, but Molloy is apparently a character from a book that I'm not familiar with or don't remember, so I had best leave it alone.

[pomespennyeach]

I want to comment on your poems, PPE, but Molloy is apparently a character from a book that I'm not familiar with or don't remember, so I had best leave it alone.

Not a problem Caleb. I appreciate the read. I was trying to summarize how this character haunts me, but I'll admit that it would make a lot more sense to someone who has read it which is kind of an unfair thing to do to a reader.

PPE