Galloping Enjambement
John Thompson. Stilt Jack. A collection of ghazals which the author reminds us in his preface are a genre that "proceeds by couplets which [...] have no necessary logical, progressive, narrative, thematic (or whatever) connection." To my surprise Thompson uses enjambement in some of his ghazals. This shakes my expectations for no connections. It finds its full force in number XX where the continuation runs over not only the lines within a couplet but between couplets. The effect is astounding.
Grief the knife, joyTechnically that is not an enjambement between the couplets. But it sure is a continuation of theme. As such it is pleasantly jarring in the context of a ghazal.
the vulnerable bread.
Eat, let the blade
surprised by joy.
And so for day 819
11.03.2009
