S2E7 Hooking: a book of centos

The cover of Mary Dalton’s poetry book, Hooking

In this episode we engage in a conversation with the distinquished poet Mary Dalton about Hooking, her unique, experimental book of poems.

Mary is Professor Emerita in the Department of English at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's and a former Poet Laureate of the City of St. John’s. Her poetry and essays have received numerous awards.

Mary Dalton

Mary hooked this mat and called it, Centos, because it uses the same line patterning that is used to create a poetic centos.

Cento (From Latin centō  - ‘patchwork garment’.)

 — a patchwork

            — In literature: a work pieced together from the works of several authors.

            — In music and literature, a composition made up of selections from the works   of various authors or composers; a pasticcio; a medley.

Obviously all these cento forms (mats, poems, music, etc.) are examples of bricolage, ancient and modern,

Some images referenced during our conversation for this oddcast

Star nosed mole

Mary’s mat in the Hit and Miss Pattern

Two men “copying” on the ice pans in Newfoundland. 

Below: Mary’s Minims cento

Minims

 What was it again?

Death by avalanche, birth by failed conception?

See-saws. There have been a few of them.

Irksome and moody, the early traffic whizzes by.

And you’re face to face with history,

the draining board, it’s dull mineral shine.

The pitched grey, gull-swept sea,

the badly behaved crowd ¾

each blade, for once, truly metallic.

Nothing that doesn’t have to moves.

The weatherman tells me that the winter comes on

because it wants to. Never that. Because it must.

Against each wall, a lame hope waiting,

without the certificate,

and doubly bold

Below: photo of the source list for each line of Minims with poem and author