Newspapers / St. Andrews University Student … / Nov. 1, 1996, edition 1 / Page 3
Part of St. Andrews University Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Features November 1. 1996 Lenard Moore blasts off with his new St. Andrews press publication, Forev.r Poet Lenard Moore reciting his poetry at the Fortner Writers ’ Forum Photo by Rooney Coffman hy Tyler McPeek Lenard D. Moore is the author of Eorever Home, a recent St. Andrews Press publi cation. This collection, already in its second printing, features an impressive forward by Guy Davenport and afterward by Fred Chappell. In Forever Home. Moore draws on the beautiful landscapes and unique charac ter of North Carolina, to offer the reader his Japanese-like style of poetr)' in a book of three sec tions. Guy Davenport, in his introduction to the book, ex plains Moore’s connection to North Carolina, “A sensual truth of locality sustains [Moore]...through Moore we realize that we are being shown a particular place by a poet whose soul lives there...A poem’s geography is, in both senses of the word, its ground...the poet must have his place that he feels he belongs to...He has chosen to keep to a great purity of purpose, the na tive identity of the place on e’lth that shaped his mind and hfart.” This pccpritiaj truth of Moore’s writing. He lias chosen the “purity of pur pose,” that Davenport de scribes. It is a common theme in literature to, “write about what youknow.” Moore’s adherence to “what he knows,” reflects a genuine sincerity in his lines. “Only roots survive/ harsh weather, chill, frost/ reaches everywhere./ Corn stalks absorb each slim sun shaft.” This passage is from a poem, in the first section of his book, entitled, “Piney Ridge In Autumn.” It is not surprising to discover that Moore is a stu dent of Basho, a medieval Japa nese poet. His close-cropped lines, concise and condensed thought, and constant reference to nature and the seasons, are dead giveaways of a student of Japanese poetry. Moore divides his book into three basic sections: “The Homeplace,” “Heat,” and “Breaking Ground.” Each of these sections contain poems of similar styles, but with different moods. In the section entitled “The Homeplace,” I would cite “1 he Homeplace” as one poem of great value to the entire book. It echoes the themes of Moore’s poetry perfectly: geography, self, and nature (specitkally biH'* TTie poem close*: “wp nre this fresh green world/ which cradles everything into itself” In the “Heat” section the reader encounters, in part, poems that stress family and heritage. In the poem, “Telling of Tales, ’ Moore writi a grandfather telling tales to the young. Still, the strong natural overtones are ever present, “Honeysuckle sway,/ scent the air.” In the “Breaking Ground” section, a rather impor tant poem, is enco”nterp “Breakfast, Then Chores.” 1 would argue that this poem is significant because it is the only poem in this collection that var ies fi-om the tight Japanese style that is characteristic to Moore. This poem uses, for the most part, dialogue, then closes with a short, characteristically natu ral, stanza of three lines. This poem indicates that Moore is not confined to the style in which most of these poems are written. Those present at Writ ers’ Forum on Thursday, the 24th, were fortunate enough to see Lenard Moore in action. He not only read some favorites from his book, he also shared a number of performance poems, inviting the audience to join in. He also read some of his ac- claimcd Haiku, w hich have won him sev eral s-.' ar. is, making him possibK the best contemporary American Haiku writer. With a black belt in karate and cases full of basketball and track tro phies, Moore is more than a great poet. He is also a great athlete. He presented a basket ball challenge to anyone in the audience, taunting, “1 pity any one who challenges me in bas ketball.” Indeed, Lenard Moore is a jack of all trades. He at tributes his accomplishments thus far to his three P’s: persis tence, patience, and prayer. He suggests that beginning writers always be writing, never limit themselves, and don’t make ex cuses. One thing is for sure, Lenard Moore is going to keep writing. So keep your eyes peeled, we’re sure to see more from Lenard Moore. A V ilveF' lew ram n win corn wJriere crows have yie siuiaiiier s en
St. Andrews University Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 1, 1996, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75