If we were looking at Rimbaud and Verlaine with a modern perspective, we would perhaps wonder if Rimbaud cut poetry out of his heart because of his toxic mentorship/introduction when he was just a teenager. Perhaps Verlaine had contaminated it for him permanently. Loved this essay, Anne Marie--love the image of you reading On the Road with your teddy bear and school books beside you!
My thoughts exactly Rachel. Part of the reason I am so mad at Verlaine. A truly toxic mentorship. Rimbaud was quite religious as a child, turned his back on religion as most teenagers do when he was 15 and returned to it in the latter part of his life. He never talked about his Paris years spent with Verlaine and Baudelaire - and all The Voyants. Was quite secretive in fact.
I too was swept along with the freedom of on the road and then read as much by Kerouac as I could. That journey like countless others led me to the electric Kool-Aid acid test and then onto one flew over the cuckoo‘s nest. And then back to More Tom Wolfe etc.. interesting that your current read didn’t leave you with the same sense of awe and excitement as it did when you were an adolescent. So I think I will stay away from a reread myself.! Sadly many things do not age well! I just love the style of shocky‘s corner , a little bit personal story , a little bit history a lot of learning and just generally great prose.
You had me at City Lights Bookstore, which conjures memories of my own years in and around North Beach. But how wonderful it was to follow your journey from Kerouac to the mad passions of Rimbaud and Verlaine to the triumphant wisdom of a woodland symphony. I really loved this piece. Loved the writing, Loved learning so much I didn’t know. Loved the teacher with the Doc Martens and slippery socks. Three cheers for the 14-year-old reader who grew up to find treasures her younger self had not yet dreamed of. Bravo!
Your comment is pure poetry to my soul Andrew! “The triumphant wisdom of a woodland symphony.” How exquisite. Thank you for joining me on my wee trip down memory lane.
If we were looking at Rimbaud and Verlaine with a modern perspective, we would perhaps wonder if Rimbaud cut poetry out of his heart because of his toxic mentorship/introduction when he was just a teenager. Perhaps Verlaine had contaminated it for him permanently. Loved this essay, Anne Marie--love the image of you reading On the Road with your teddy bear and school books beside you!
My thoughts exactly Rachel. Part of the reason I am so mad at Verlaine. A truly toxic mentorship. Rimbaud was quite religious as a child, turned his back on religion as most teenagers do when he was 15 and returned to it in the latter part of his life. He never talked about his Paris years spent with Verlaine and Baudelaire - and all The Voyants. Was quite secretive in fact.
I too was swept along with the freedom of on the road and then read as much by Kerouac as I could. That journey like countless others led me to the electric Kool-Aid acid test and then onto one flew over the cuckoo‘s nest. And then back to More Tom Wolfe etc.. interesting that your current read didn’t leave you with the same sense of awe and excitement as it did when you were an adolescent. So I think I will stay away from a reread myself.! Sadly many things do not age well! I just love the style of shocky‘s corner , a little bit personal story , a little bit history a lot of learning and just generally great prose.
I’d love to hear your opinion on a second read of On The Road. And, btw, somethings/people age very well indeed!
Very excited to see more Shocky’s corner!!!! Always a wonderful read :)
Hey! Thank you!
You had me at City Lights Bookstore, which conjures memories of my own years in and around North Beach. But how wonderful it was to follow your journey from Kerouac to the mad passions of Rimbaud and Verlaine to the triumphant wisdom of a woodland symphony. I really loved this piece. Loved the writing, Loved learning so much I didn’t know. Loved the teacher with the Doc Martens and slippery socks. Three cheers for the 14-year-old reader who grew up to find treasures her younger self had not yet dreamed of. Bravo!
Agree! So many of us were reading age-inappropriate books at that age, and dreaming big dreams of writing. Great essay, Anne Marie!
Your comment is pure poetry to my soul Andrew! “The triumphant wisdom of a woodland symphony.” How exquisite. Thank you for joining me on my wee trip down memory lane.
It was one of the most delightful pieces I’ve read in a while. Enjoy your upcoming holiday hiatus, Anne Marie!
Thank you so much. I sure will. Hope you are enjoying your summer too.