She can't let go and she can't relax

[lizblackdog]

There's a poem that begins "Thirty-five feet deep in the wet language...". I can't find it online, (I've tried Googling for it) and I can't remember who wrote it.


It also contains the lines: "Oh, if those words were air...
But they are not air, and she is not mine" and "But
how can she breathe thus all cemented up? Forgive me my pleas without
end, forgive me these ninety two more words my love"

...or something very like that. I'm quoting from memory here. I believe it to be a fairly modern poem; the author's maybe someone like Brian Patten? Only probably not actually him, just someone who reminds me of him.

I've been hunting this fucking poem for two years now. I've googled till I'm blue in the face. I've posted to greatpoets, I joined a forum especially for finding poems, I've sat in a London bookshop and gone through the index of first lines of every sodding anthology they had in stock. Someone has to know this godsdamned poxy fucking poem! I may die if I can't find it. Please, I beg you, help me?

Comments

[greenmood.livejournal.com]

Do you remember where you read it? On line... in a library?

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

In a printed anthology, either from my school library or one I picked up at a second-hand bookshop somewhere. But definitely paper... if it had been online anywhere I'm sure I'd have found it by now.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a wonderful poem, but I'm sorry, I can't help you...

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

It is. I want it so bad! Thanks darling.

[arisingprophet.livejournal.com]

Is this where you looked for it, too? If not, then here's some more lines of it:

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=450973

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

That was me XD

[brendan-moody.livejournal.com]

I assume you've already found this, but a Google Books search on a couple of the phrases turns up a book published in 1973 and apparently called Three; it was written by Charles Noble, J.O. Thompson, and Jon Whyte, who are Canadian poets. Maybe that rings some bells?

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I had not. Your Google-fu beats mine. Charles Noble rings a faint, very faint bell. I shall check further. Thank you so much!

[james-the-evil1.livejournal.com]

Noble is known for "long form haikus" equaling 17 lines. 92 words sounds about right.
I found his website with a list of his works, but I can't find any quotes anywhere.
I was going to e-mail him & ask, but the webmail link on his site's buggered.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I'm also so very unsurprised that they're Canadian.

[purplewaxhand.livejournal.com]

I emailed someone who likes poetry. they're having computer trouble so I don't know when they'll be able to read it.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *lives in hope*

[santaman.livejournal.com]

You've been asking about that mystery poem for years now.. ;)

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I know! And I still haven't found it. GRRRR.

[santaman.livejournal.com]

I tried to find it but so far no luck, I just see you asking for it... O_o

Kinda frustrating..

[purplewaxhand.livejournal.com]

he couldn't find it anywhere

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Ah well. Thank you - and him - for trying, anyway.