David UU
David UU (pronounced "double-U") David W. Harris, was born in Barrie, Ontario in 1948. He is considered an accomplished concrete and experimental poet and an important small press publisher. Along with bill bissett and bpNichol, he was a pioneer of the concrete-poetry movement in Canada, and perhaps the first Canadian poet to explore visual collage embodying literary, philosophical and language references. He also wrote and published more conventional poetry, poems and prose for children, two novels, short stories, scripts for theatrical performance and several essays. In addition, Harris founded and operated Fleye Press (1966-67), Derwyddon Press (1972-73), Silver Birch Press (1987-94), and co-founded grOnk in 1967. Harris died in 1994 at a farmhouse near Delhi, Ontario.
Note: the work reproduced here first appeared in the Toronto arts magazine (Imp)ulse Volume 3, Numbers 3 & 4, and was then published in book form in the anthology W)here? The Other Canadian Poetry (Press Porcepic 1974). Used by kind permission of the Estate of David W. Harris.
what we are to find . these moments those of some
vision cared for much less . patter grab the heart .
sizzling making these trays . rays . mays sunlit .
bound the reefs shake the sift . a long time . along .
bringing in the biggest . shine for the opening .
destination deny try stops .
price of actual . shades harmony taking breath .
fill the open cross dangerously take . breaking .
walled . & further past . & further . & section .
big bright amused . fused gracing . fought in the
ray sun . groping . fast . masterful . wiped onto
center meek . sake sake sake sake sake . brought
simply & forthly marching . signing singing flashing
fasting degreed . boundary . bounding flinging
signing singing . boundary . boundary .
take over nowing the light . direction . dissection .
losing blend later licence . my saint over well .
taught most blinking . paragraph . paraphrased .
intention . in mentiond outboard . crazed misgotten .
lock lock the fence. driven from .
beast from the bold got held & fell notion . this
simpling from gotten over scratching the final
wides the train . on the four on the four .
liking in living. Is there liking in liking living.
Is there liking in liking living living. Is there
living. Bells ringing. In ing ing. Ring.
The sun is in taping. Static radio. Is love presents.
Love present. No pretence. No louder. No louder
than to talk. It is to die. Inside words. Lies. Sun
be nothing else. Be else to not be sun. Be sun.
Rock the boulder to slumber. Breathing moves night
darkness. Breathing which moves night & darkness
is you breathing. You breathing moves night darkness.
Strawberries & other sleeping is breathing in night
darkness. Prayers are sometimes grant us. Do grant
us. Do grant us living. Do grant us liking living. Do
grant us well. Breath. Breathing.
Now is the time. Floating seas the past. 73 bernard
avenue an inlet. Hello i dont know you youre not the
same as yesterday. No. To be sick in our bathroom.
The towels are free. Coffee. Plastic cups do melt
from heat. I told you. Please believe me once.
I smashed a bottle against the wall above the chair.
Later queens park. I couldnt face anything. Drive
around. Yes you were right. I think ill tell her.
Tell her. I cant. Its 3 oclock in the morning she
isnt back yet. Tomorrow. Take the subway. Home
in 10 minutes. Have lunch. Still not here. Back
underground. She did & finally we left together from
eachother. Late summer in the city. A new address
soon to be lost.
Batman & robin in a gloryhole scene. Flash. Later
coming in your mouth. You did not. I got what i
wanted. Do we really. You couldnt swallow. What
can we. The drapes closed the door open the balcony.
City sounds i will be leaving soon. You wont be
coming she is far away no one will be coming i am
alone again. It is where it was.
Where it was once i was a hero. I did tell lies.
Her & me. I am no longer a hero not even in dreams.
I still do dream but cant believe them. The sea is
too much a mirror. I am now always with the mirror.
I am now always trying to believe dreams & people.
I am now always. Get me out. There are drums. The
beat goes on. I am me you. Love power stations. It
was never said. Please. Headlines announce. David
was a king. He is now dead. David was a jew. He is
now dead. That is history.
The Last Slice: 2 days before
once you got up but i pushd it this floor glazed the
melting have you ever she summoned the new hostess
dressed in screen bought that with more than was ever
the blue barrel lifting double wrapped she cried but
the players went on a pace to place further riches
markd out no erasure in this one bless out of order
carry
if its what you way then run over the nearest clear
the stake it should flow but action who took the
moment another on this he is serious
second
more into the point that got passd the board this
hearing is not adjournd all holds 2 be checkd at
the foremost slight falling behind i crashd our
motion isnt mated the bottle range at the door
sure the fire wont be sitting must
safely
what the security didnt see revisions in the step.
or dotted mill mine tenderly all this she stoppd
the train welld wide under the sharpened a gliding
shore might always
there
see if mines closely ever sinking fifth place hear
the relate cast swimming in the bells feel softer
rising full the below
later in the old barn
the sun did test the
table but this act has
passd
a saturday nite . sunday morning . the film over .
so is the late movie on television . & you . its warm .
it might as well be spring . the fast forward isnt
working . i feel far away from home . and everything .
ive yet to lite the candle . a christmas present . your
presence . absent . missing you all the while . so
little time . so much time . my fathers eyes . the
blood . my blood dripping to the floor . watching
from the window . i was 3 years old . i became
alone . i became my father . his eyes . his smile .
said my mother . her memory is only recent to
me . i have my own world . autumn in
judy . dead leaves being taken away by the city . a
morning . and an evening . another beginning . an
end . a continuing motion . today . let me smile for
you . prelude to a kiss . music . i . you . let me be
your . there is a pain to carry . i can talk about it .
this is such a dark morning . a day . a movement .
gestures . touch me . i want to be touched . the
floor is worn by traffic . people do destroy . the
heater is off .
so much highway . roads . trails . a path for our
feet . we travel . motion . music . a past . the
present. today . begin . end . a movement . a
sign . a waiting . be love . dear love . dear one .
a song .
there is much to be in waiting . try not to find
anything . she said . she said . i know . you dont
know . i know . it is the final end . like a final
beginning . you know . you dont . what is real .
be real . this is real . that was a real experience .
ourselves . the past . this present . i love . i .
you . love . thats french . you speak french . that
is a question . a patch . truth . true . love . life .
two . one . arithmetic . impossible. it was . i
love you . that is a good ending . waiting . coming .
a song .
measure it . a meaning . relevant . relation . ships .
sea . stones . the river . the television is off . it is
quiet . sunday morning . sunday . the past . our
present . lets go to bed now . a finding . a beginning .
a motion . singing . open windows . touch . a song .
be present . past . the marchers .
cities . people . home . be sum . a memory . a word .
a gesture . hurt . response . love . a song .
the great ship saild out the harbour into the
storm at sea the wind sure does blow said the
galley slave calling for another load & the
great ship did sail on rising upon the ocean
waves
if you think this
is a free trip
get off
the captain who rarely sailed fell thru his
sailors glass when he saw his escape meanwhile
the crew always on mutiny lined up in full
attention but the captain had lost his eyes
for this ship & continued the watch
in shadow the
form moves within
touch the hand
finds the
eyes breath
the captain slowly turned & looked hard at his
ship for the last time & throwing the sailors
glass to the first mate said it's all yours &
swam out to sea as the ship sank with the
mutinous crew
time passes from the
mountain to the
valley heat
brings us
here
the dream lost in
living
eyes turn the
hand reaches to
the present
Canal Dreams: simulated wormhole
rabbits food confess died trying yu take
that to yur cabin nd see sumthing like
this bar drawn spirits sever say shiver
if yu know yull never take them to rest
biting sunshine there are the magic we
outside the food bubbl take them home
wake up in six
up the tasted summer surprise yu to the
park sea shore sun ride what of they
say but in maybe maybe on the outside
calld back falling nd back the place
nd love all upon this yu last breath
falling nd to this again nd to this
back now ocean west another inner
shes its cumming to where yu sure
once we get to the house papa knows
what to do with the bones
the golden aether cloud matter rising the jewels of
the dawn in this place the seed is planted and cakes
forests singing the unicorn dances in the mist yur
being in radiance this vision of the hosts of heavenly
glory black silver if to touch would heal halo of
pure holy anointed by the cosmos and the song gloria
gloria my love for yu gentl of blood and sun sparkls
of moon the earthly warmth to flow she is me yu are
to my dreams of higher places breathe distant voices
thru all shadows i love yu full
wonder falls and sinking into the foremost sunset
it is fast gone and always listening to forces that
besiege i am beyond the old fallen graces that are
home and not to be subsided being my sword to the
forward singing glow this i name altamber flaming
in yur eyes and for all sons of this glory come
and behold
near the golden fruit lies a woman clad in white
shimmering of all worlds there is wonder in capture
of her heavenly amazement i arose and walked towards
of what is behind the suns eye and i appear to that
place beyond yur vision
