The ABCs of Robert Lax, 1999


The ABCs of Robert Lax, edited by David Miller and Nicholas Zurbrugg.

Seven Poems (for Robert Lax).
Frank Samperi

Who props me
come evening?
thus the age
the tide out
a person
stick and dog
no answer
______________________

the
   light
that
   covers

and
   the
darkness
   that

is
    alone-
not
    alone
_______________________

I saw the angel
behind the roses
in the garden

no one else
saw the wings
I am sure

but
       the knowledge is there

I see you
you see me
__________________________

Void of thought
the place-

so no light
to flower in-

but not void
my thought-

therefore light
to hide in-
_______________________

in peace
at rest
in via

at peace
in rest
in medio
________________________

late turning
of leaves

the trees
a light      unto themselves
________________________

full moon reflection

of the curve
of the patio

full snow
in moonlight
________________________

Comments

  1. Claudia,

    I like these haiku-like (very meditative) pieces of Samperi's. I can see the artistic indebtedness to Lax's minimalism and mystic temperament.

    Did you father every meet Lax?

    ReplyDelete
  2. had some friends who knew Robert Lax

    the editor of Voyages, here in D.C.
    on the way to Rhodes the ferry stopped in Patmos...
    I walked around saw him there didn't approach him
    as

    i had nothing to say and didn't really have anything o add.

    I am aan huge fan of two of his friends... Merton and Ad Rhinehardt

    had i REALLY realized who Lax was I'd of still not intruded.

    as it turned out, I ended up in Lindos with Jack Gilbert and Pauline (Fay) Chin
    more to the import with Fay than Jack.

    I agree with

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello,
    I don't know if my father ever met Lax, I don't think he did.
    Thanks Ed for your imput as always.

    Summer is here, hot!

    ReplyDelete
  4. hot &humid here too

    reminds me of 1955 Brooklyn

    heta 7 zip-guns

    177 th & Longfellow Avenue

    I was walking down the street from the corner candy stor
    &
    this black car drove by and someone opened fire and killed this kid sitting on the stoop !


    they came across the bridge i forget the name of the high school I think that it was Bedford-Styvesent... I can ask my cousin Saul it was a friend of his who was killed!

    this was in the 50's maybe about 1951?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Though he was still very much his own man, Conrad rightly points out your father's artistic indebtedness to Lax in these poems; thanks for posting these, Claudia.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is some story Ed -
    Vazambam,
    Yes, I agree - thank you for confirming -
    The blog has become a wonderful place to share thoughts and words for Frank.

    Thank you so much to all-

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts