Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Austin Allen

Austin Allen’s first poetry collection, Pleasures of the Game (Waywiser Press, 2016), was awarded the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize. His poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in The Yale Review, The Missouri Review, The Sewanee Review, 32 Poems, and Verse Daily. He is a doctoral student in creative writing at the University of Cincinnati.









MARIS*
*Roger Maris, American baseball player, famous for breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season record of 60 home runs in 1961. Because Maris had a longer season than Ruth in which to accumulate his total, his feat generated fierce controversy, and one sportswriter suggested that an asterisk accompany his name in the record books. The commissioner of baseball agreed, but the mark was never added.

Asterisk, dark kiss, sign you were born under,
little appendix twinging in your gut,
making its clever point, its “Well yes but…”
Has someone carved it on your grave, I wonder?

It multiplies, becomes a flurry of flakes,
hardens to hail and pelts you as you run,
head lowered, one blast shy of sixty-one.
Litters its thistles, drives spikes through your spikes.

*
Babe Ruth ate the past. Which would have been
the present, back then. That huge son of a bitch
gobbled and guzzled, smoked and sinned so much,
what’s left for you? The wine is drained, the women

know the score. Father of modern sport
and giant baby, hopeless little shit
sent to reform school, where he learned to hit,
and grin, and trot around the bases toward—

*
Rip the game stitch from stitch, green blade from blade.
Spill all the ball’s yarn brains, the whole white mile
spooled to the core. You’re starting to taste bile—
retch and spit up your black tobacco cud,

spit seeds, spit bubblegum, spit it: one spiked
windpipe obstruction like a Cracker Jack toy
lodged back there, somehow, since you were a boy…
You don’t remember childhood much. You liked

baseball, liked summertime. Each place you lived
seemed colder than the last. Old tribal nations
under the fields, train platforms without stations.
Some years your parents quarreled and you moved.

You’re not star-crossed; you don’t believe in streaks;
statistically, things happen. Still, the team’s
away games always give you hard-luck dreams:
Ruth’s twenties roar, the cagefaced umpire blocks

your way, you can’t reach—even to start from—home—
somehow the fix is in—each word you shout
at those fat folded arms is asterisked out…
The grass mends. The crowd goes tame. The seams resume.

*
Although it comes late, you hit that final blast.
The asterisk needs an asterisk of its own.
Above your Little League diamond, diamonds shone
unqualified....The record for time past

is broken, is broken. The child defeats the father,
memorabilia gathers on the shelf,
but time had more time to surpass itself,
so I’m not buying any of it, either.


When was this poem composed? How did it start?

I wrote the poem in 2011 and included it in my first book, Pleasures of the Game. I’d been fascinated by the Roger Maris story since childhood and had wanted to write about him for years. The asterisk beside his name in the record books is just an urban legend, but it spoke to something real: a lingering perception that he’d fallen short of Babe Ruth, that his record technically didn’t count. He knew many fans felt this way and was shaken by the controversy.

I think most of us can relate to the fear of the asterisk, which goes something like this:
YOU HAVE ACHIEVED INCREDIBLE SUCCESS*
*just kidding
How many revisions did this poem undergo? How much time elapsed between the first and final drafts?

The poem had a number of false starts. The earliest draft I can find is from March 2011, and the first one that resembles the finished poem is from October 2011. Then came a number of edits before I sent it out to journals. Two years later, I made another substantial change before my book came out: I tweaked the narrative framing so that the poem addresses Maris as “you,” from the perspective of an unnamed “I,” rather than speaking as Maris.

I did this after a friend suggested I’d made Maris sound too poet-like. Although I was never aiming for a literal imitation of his voice, I found the critique helpful, and I think the final version is better for the change.

Do you believe in inspiration? How much of this poem was “received” and how much was the result of sweat and tears?

Sometimes a poem will come together quickly, but not often. I sweated this one out. On the other hand, glancing at these old drafts, I see I made a sudden burst of progress around 10/30/11, so inspiration (whatever it is) played a part.

How did this poem arrive at its final form? Did you consciously employ any principles of technique?

One conscious choice was the use of slant or imperfect rhymes: “flakes / spikes,” etc. These seemed appropriate for a poem that’s all about “close, but not quite.” They’re also sprinkled irregularly throughout the poem—I was trying to keep myself as well as the reader off balance.

Was there anything unusual about the way in which you wrote this poem?

These days it’s rare for me to revise a poem drastically several times over. I plan and prepare more, so that I have a better idea of what I want to do by the time I start writing. I still work slowly, but more of that time goes into fiddling with details.

How long after you finished this poem did it first appear in print?

About a year. It got picked up by Iron Horse Literary Review in 2012 and became one of my first journal publications.

How long do you let a poem “sit” before you send it off into the world? Do you have any rules about this or does your practice vary with every poem?

It varies quite a bit. Sometimes I send things out too soon. Everything about the current market encourages that impulse—you have to fight it. Better to let the poem breathe for a while.

Could you talk about fact and fiction and how this poem negotiates the two?


“Maris” deals with well-known, real-life events, but still takes plenty of creative license. I was going more for psychological than biographical truth. I don’t know, for example, whether he actually resented Babe Ruth, a man he never met. But doesn’t it seem plausible?

Is this a narrative poem?

A fractured one, yes.

Do you remember who you were reading when you wrote this poem? Any influences you’d care to disclose?

I forget who I was reading at the time, but Frost, Auden, and Marianne Moore all explored connections between games and writing (including, in Moore’s case, baseball and writing). Their influence shaped Pleasures of the Game in general and might have crept into “Maris.”

Do you have any particular audience in mind when you write, an ideal reader?

I tend to agree with Auden’s couplet: “Art, if it doesn’t start there, at least ends / In an attempt to entertain our friends.”

I also write with live performance in mind. At poetry readings there are always a few audience members who’ve been roped into attending and are skeptical of poetry. I try to write poems that will win them over.

Did you let anyone see drafts of this poem before you finished it? Is there an individual or a group of individuals with whom you regularly share work?

My MFA classmates saw a draft version of “Maris.” Outside of workshops, I generally show poem drafts to three or four friends. One friend has been my default first reader for about ten years now; we share and comment regularly on each other’s work. We don’t always take each other’s advice, but I never publish anything without getting her opinion first. (See Auden couplet above.)

How does this poem differ from other poems of yours?

Structurally, it’s a little odder than most of my poems. It feels unsettled to me, unstable in its mix of fact and fantasy, and I hope it feels that way to the reader, too.

What is American about this poem?

Besides the baseball stuff? The neurotic attitude toward success.

Was this poem finished or abandoned?

Finished.*

47 comments:

  1. Hello everyone i Am williams pater and i am from USA i am here to give my testimony about an herbal doctor called Dr,olu I was heartbroken because i had very small penis,not nice to satisfy a woman, i have been in so many relationship, but cut off because of my situation, i have used so many product which doctors prescribe for me, but could not offer me the help i searched for. i saw some few comments on the internet about this specialist called Dr,OLU and decided to email him on his email i saw on the internet,(drolusolutionhome@gmail.com ) so I decided to give his herbal product a try. i emailed him and he got back to me, he gave me some comforting words with his herbal product for Penis Enlargement, Within three weeks of me use it, i began to feel the enlargement, " and now it just 4 weeks of using his products my penis is about 8 inches longer, and i had to settle thing out with my ex girlfriend , i was surprised when she said that she is satisfied with my performance in bed and i now have a large penis.thanks to DR OLU for is herbal product. you can also reach him with emsil drolusolutionhome@gmail.com though is..number WHATASPP him today on this number [ +2348140654426 ]




    Hello everyone i Am williams pater and i am from USA i am here to give my testimony about an herbal doctor called Dr,olu I was heartbroken because i had very small penis,not nice to satisfy a woman, i have been in so many relationship, but cut off because of my situation, i have used so many product which doctors prescribe for me, but could not offer me the help i searched for. i saw some few comments on the internet about this specialist called Dr,OLU and decided to email him on his email i saw on the internet,(drolusolutionhome@gmail.com ) so I decided to give his herbal product a try. i emailed him and he got back to me, he gave me some comforting words with his herbal product for Penis Enlargement, Within three weeks of me use it, i began to feel the enlargement, " and now it just 4 weeks of using his products my penis is about 8 inches longer, and i had to settle thing out with my ex girlfriend , i was surprised when she said that she is satisfied with my performance in bed and i now have a large penis.thanks to DR OLU for is herbal product. you can also reach him with emsil drolusolutionhome@gmail.com though is..number WHATASPP him today on this number [ +2348140654426 ]

    ReplyDelete




  2. Hello everyone. I was heartbroken because i had a small penis, not nice to satisfy a woman, i had so many relationship called off because of my situation, i have used so many product which i found online but none could offer me the help i searched for. i saw some few comments about this specialist called Dr OLU and decided to email him on drolusoutionhome@gmail.com
    so I decided to give his herbal product a try. i emailed him and he got back to me, he gave me some comforting words with his herbal pills for Penis t, Enlargement Within 1 week of it, i began to feel the enlargement of my penis, ” and now it just 2 weeks of using his products my penis is about 9 inches longer and am so happy..feel free to contact DR OLU on(Drolusolutionhome@gmail.com) or Vist his websites for more information [http://droluherbs.clan.su/ ] or whatsapp him on this number +2348140654426










    ReplyDelete
  3. https://bengali-sms.in/love-shayari-in-bengali-for-girlfriend/

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank's for sharing this great aricle. If you need free psn codes then click here.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. top 100 new bangla dhadha with answer

    ReplyDelete
  8. 100 ভালবাসার মজার sms..https://www.mogojdholaidhadha.com/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cibu 1# Digital Marketing Services
    Cibu Provide all digital marketing services as lowes price & High Quality buy fake telegram members as cheap price


    Other Services :
    free telegram members

    download telegram app

    telegram groups link

    ReplyDelete
  10. i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
    or
    call/whatsapp:+2349057261346










    i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
    or
    call/whatsapp:+2349057261346










    ReplyDelete
  11. After installing the setup.office.com on your computer system, your existing MS account or create a new account and enter the product key.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Download Microsoft office as it could be the best choice for your work if you want to manage your data with an efficient tool.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey , I have readout your stunning post. It is very informative and effective post. You may like to make collection of Attractive WhatsApp DP Images.
    Bengali caption for fb dp,
    Bengali quotes on love
    Funny jokes in bengali
    Bengali status

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looking for Assignment Writing Help? Here We TreatAssignmentHelp is a team of experts professional academic writers who provide Assignment Writing Help, Online Essay Writing Services, Dissertation Help UK, Thesis Help in England at Affordable Prices. Our Writers Providing Plagiarism-free Academic Paper Writing Services Around You. Vivit Here:-Finance Assignment Help Online | Assignment Writing Services in UK | Treat Assignment Help at velovert | leading professional writers for Assignment Help
    Best Essay Writing Services | Profile of ellaphillips | Plagiarism free Assignment Help in UK

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for the blog loaded with so many information. Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for. Telegram Investment Bot

    ReplyDelete
  16. I always turn to Vampire any time I want to. I become a Vampire because of how people treat me, this world is a wicked world and not fair to any body. at the snack of my finger things are made happened. am now a Powerful Man and no one step on me without an apology goes free. i turn to Human being also at any time i want to. and am one of the most dreaded Man in my Town. i become a Vampire through the help of my friend who introduce me into a Vampire Kingdom by given me their email. if you want to become a Powerful Vampire kindly contact the Vampire Kingdom on their Email: Vampirelord7878@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. God Shayari Images - Here on this page we have a large collection of beautiful God Shayari Images In Hindi with pics and amazing quotes. Some feel hesitation to express their love with whom they loved the most.If you like more Shayari on other topic please choose from tag list and read unlimited Maut Shayari photo collection.Download HD Quality Images Here - God Shayari Images Download

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello, My Dearest Friends Super class independent Escorts Services available incall & outcall
    service in VIP hotels.and call girls available for booking 24x7 hours IF You
    want Physical Relationship any time contact me & ?meet with me to get my
    number from website and call
    Thank You & Visit Again""_____
    Guwahati Call Girls
    Call Girls in Guwahati

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy 17Th Birthday Images
    - Download Happy 17Th Birthday Images for desktop or mobile devices. Make your device cooler and more beautiful. Here the latest collection of Happy 17Th Birthday photos, pics, and pictures or wallpaper HD Download for WhatsApp and Facebook. You can visit here to download new images in HD Quality.
    Download HD Quality Images Here- https://www.happybirthdayimageshd.com/happy-17th-birthday-images/

    ReplyDelete
  20. Happy Birthday Wishes Download For Whatsapp- Happy Birthday” is one of the most common, but also of the warmest, wishes in the world. Choose among dozens of happy birthday wishes and messages to write on the birthday card, email to your friends or share on Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Pinterest and other social networks.
    Download HD Quality Images Here- Happy Birthday Wishes Download For Whatsapp

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the blog loaded with so many information. Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for.

    ReplyDelete
  22. fantastic and doing a great work in this field . More helpful info aboutkolkata ff is now available here.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Here you may buy pdf poster and get the professional assistance in this sphere. We provide best pdf posters around the world to anyone who needs it.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Nice Post Your content is very inspiring and appriciating I really like it please visit my site for
    kolkata fatafat and kolkata live result or for finding old result check kolkata fatafat old result and you can also checkout your lucky number on kolkata fatafat lucky number you can also visit our site for some tips and tricks kolkata fatafat tips & tricks visit us on kolkata fatafat result

    ReplyDelete
  25. Great opportunity https://www.karmasangsthan.live/karmasangsthan-paper-pdf-direct-download/


    karmasangsthan PDF Download

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow, What a Excellent post. I really found this to much informatics. It is what i was searching for. I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing such type of info.

    Thanks
    Nonna Gina S.r.l.s.

    ReplyDelete
  27. The presentation of the article is very good, every word written has a meaning and is very useful for the readers. I hope that you can write useful articles for readers like this, we also have several articles that are also interesting to read.
    wordpress
    blogspot
    youtube
    ភ្នាល់បាល់បក

    ReplyDelete
  28. have readout your stunning post. It is very informative and effective post. You may like to read posts
    Fast and furious movie dailymotion
    Fantacy 5 winning numbers
    watch Game of Thrones Season 1 putlockers

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thanks for sharing this very good post. Very inspiring! (as always, btw)

    Beglazing

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is a very tremendous article. You keep making progress in this way. Gambar Keren

    ReplyDelete
  31. Such an interesting article here.I was searching for something like that for quite a long time and at last I have found it here. Spiderman Hoodie

    ReplyDelete
  32. are made from polyethylene, PVC and polypropylene materials. PVC tarps are mostly used as truck covers while the tarps made from polyethylene and polypropylene are used for grain bunker covers and large shelters. These Tarps are available in different sizes and weights which makes them flexible to use in different conditions.
    논산출장샵
    계룡출장샵
    보령출장샵
    서산출장샵
    아산출장샵
    천안출장샵

    ReplyDelete
  33. Well your blog is really good and interesting.. I also think kids should be indulged in such kind of activities. It helps in the physical and mental growth. Keep Sharing노블홈타이
    노블홈타이
    노블홈타이
    노블홈타이
    노블홈타이
    노블홈타이
    노블홈타이

    ReplyDelete
  34. If lover of bangla quotes ,you visit for more bengla quotes .here

    ReplyDelete