trinityofone

Everything that's been going on recently with Different, Better has made me want to reread Brendan Kennelly's The Book of Judas. Kennelly is an Irish poet whom I discovered about nine months after I wrote the first draft of the story, and he's influenced my thinking about it ever since. The Book of Judas is almost 400 pages of poems, most of which are from Judas' perspective, but also which get into the hearts and minds of modern people, many of them Irish, many of them Dubliners. What's amazing about the book (aside from the poetry itself, which is wow) is that Kennelly essentially claims Judas for Ireland. He claims Judas for Ireland: he takes that which is, by the world, perhaps most feared and loathed and he asks it to step inside and make itself at home. He's not making excuses, but he's not afraid to sympathize, even empathize with it. How cool is that?

I'm reminded of Seamus Heaney's introduction to his translation of Beowulf, in which he does basically the same thing, likening the Irish to Grendel prowling around in the dark, watching the light and the heat of Heorot Hall, but never able to go inside. I'm reminded of countless U2 lyrics: I stand with the sons of Cain. And I'm sure there are other examples.

I love the Irish. I love that they feel this need to sympathize with history's hated. This is one of those times when I think, yeah, this may be the country for me.

Anyway, I had to return The Book of Judas to the library yesterday, but before I did, I copied down my favorite poem, which now I'll share with you. psychopepsquad, you especially should look into reading this book. It's hard to find in the U.S., but our library does have a copy. (Points to UCB!)

So here's my favorite poem. Don't tell me this doesn't give you chills.

( No Image Fits )

psychopepsquad has, sadly, joined the ranks of those who think I hate all movies. I do not hate all movies. I just hate a lot of movies, and I hate them loudly. Like The Ring Two, which she and I saw yesterday. Thank god she was there to mock it with me because it was not scary (and I found the first one terrifying) nor suspenseful nor even all that pretty. Although I liked Naomi Watts' coat.

ETA: psychopepsquad gives great snark.

Today I saw Melinda and Melinda with my mom and my aunt. It also had lots of great clothes and really great New York apartments, but it was just awful: pretentious and boring and not funny. My theory is that Woody Allen has turned into the guy standing behind him in line in Annie Hall. How sad. Still, if you want New York real estate tips, he'd be the guy to ask.

So yes, I hated those two movies, but I don't hate all movies. I don't! I like...well, several things I can't think of right now.

I'm much better friends with books these days. Tuesday night I went over to mciac's house and she and psychopepsquad and darcydodo got me really drunk. I mean, really drunk. When I got home, I managed to 1) lock the door and 2) take off my skirt and tights and put on pajama bottoms. Removing my shirt proved to be too much for me, so I went to bed in it. When I woke up, however, it was to discover that while undressing had been beyond me, I had managed to take the book I'm reading out of my bag and put it next to the bed in its accustomed place. You know, just in case I wanted a bit of a read before passing out. Says a lot about me, that.

On the list of current addictions: I love Barry's Gold Blend tea. See? Ireland is calling to me already!