Arc Prose Poetry Anthology 2021, A Narratolyric Prose Poem in Snapshot

Poetic palpitations

By Peter Green

Dressed in tacky gym shoes

and a tee shirt, I bounce on to the stage

of Wick Town Hall, heart hammering.

Take a deep breath, as my teacher has advised

and recite the opening lines of

" Stopping by woods on a snowy evening "

with proper inflexion and interpretation

and thankfully recite the rest of the poem

and the last two hypnotic lines without mishap.

Blink in surprise at the scattered applause

and re-take my seat, glad that the ordeal

is now over, and I can finally relax.

Clutching my 'third position' certificate

later, I get back into my dad's car

shyly accepting the congratulations from my parents; already missing ' Grandstand ' on the television; anxious to play some football before it gets dark: a ten year old boy with curious dreams pushing out of his skull, waiting in confusion for his life to start moving

in a semi-recognisable direction.

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Analysis of Poetic Palpitations by Dr Pragya Suman

Poetic palpitations is written by Peter Green and I opted for personal choice as it is exceptional in narrative tone. It is written in fragment as our memories used to be and at the same time prose poems are represented in fragments. Though here right margin is shifting and it is not in a tight packed compressed style of conventional prose poem. Nostalgic moments do not descend in a straight way and mostly they wriggles making loops, mounds and serrations. We see them in the outer fabric of the poem.

We can categorize it as narrative expressive prose poems.

Mind is a mirror in which memories reflect. Poetry is also a mirror and when we bring prose, an additional mirror comes. So narrative lyricism is a complex system of mirror. In poetic palpitations superficial structure is narrative while deep structure is lyrical. Poetic elements swim in the spaces of narrative and that is the essence of narrative expressive prose poetry.

Prose poems are much like photographs or snapshots which are a momentary evocation of our past. In both prose poem and photography an implied discontinuity and disarticulated form exist.

Here we see a novice ten year boy trying to boost up his confidence and a puerile purity is powerful here which makes this poem marvellous. In fragmented form it gives a literary space which is a balloon like expanding the perception of the reader. On the reader’s part it requires ability to connect both emotionally and intellectually with the work and imbibes its key meaning and connotation. Here both the poet and reader are experiencing autobiographical memory.

We see a ten year boy stepping up in the ocean of life to make a semi recognition.

INDIVIDUAL SECTION OF POEM

1 .Dressed in tacky gym shoes

and a tee shirt, I bounce on to the stage

of Wick Town Hall, heart hammering.

2.Take a deep breath, as my teacher has advised and recite the opening lines of

" Stopping by woods on a snowy evening "

with proper inflexion and interpretation

and thankfully recite the rest of the poem

and the last two hypnotic lines without mishap.

3 .Blink in surprise at the scattered applause and re-take my seat, glad that the ordeal is now over, and I can finally relax.

4. Clutching my 'third position' certificate

later, I get back into my dad's car shyly accepting the congratulations from my parents; already missing ' Grandstand ' on the television; anxious to play some football before it gets dark: a ten year old boy with curious dreams pushing out of his skull, waiting in confusion for his life to start moving

in a semi-recognisable direction.

Whole poem is written in four lines along with two semicolons and one colon. First semi fragment is in three lines while Later one is in a single line which is knotted with two semicolons and one colon providing a long trail of retracing memory.

Another striking feature is that there are not many literary devices here. Despite no use of any embroidery this poem is evocative, even in its simplicity.

Between two semi fragments there is time space. It seems relaxation is resting here after an ordeal. Again a white space is between moving and the last phrase, it seems the poem is still going on. A typical feature of prose poetry --to resist closure.

Dr Pragya Suman

Dr pragya suman