Project Mailer

The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/The Savage Poet—Unlocking the Universe with Metaphor: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/The Savage Poet—Unlocking the Universe with Metaphor (view source)

Revision as of 19:19, 23 February 2021

69 bytes removed ,  23 February 2021
Removed the Review/ default sort from the top of the page. Fixed minor spelling errors. Reformatted the top of the page with bold lettering.~~~~
(Copied Sand box into main page)
(Removed the Review/ default sort from the top of the page. Fixed minor spelling errors. Reformatted the top of the page with bold lettering.~~~~)
Line 3: Line 3:
{{MR13}}
{{MR13}}
{{byline|last=Stewart|first=Mark|url=http://prmlr.us/mr13ste}}
{{byline|last=Stewart|first=Mark|url=http://prmlr.us/mr13ste}}
{{Review}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Savage Poet—Unlocking the Universe with Metaphor}}


<blockquote>This article first appeared in the March 2020 issue of ''Spaceflight'' magazine and is reproduced with kind permission of the
<blockquote>This article first appeared in the March 2020 issue of ''Spaceflight'' magazine and is reproduced with kind permission of the
editor and author [https://www.bis-space.com/what-we-do/publications].</blockquote>
editor and author [https://www.bis-space.com/what-we-do/publications].</blockquote>


<blockquote>“''But he reached a place at last he had been in months before, the room with the plate-glass window across its middle wherethe magazine writers had hounded Armstrong until Armstrong confessed that Man explored out as salmon swim upstream. . . .''”</blockquote>
<blockquote>“''But he reached a place at last he had been in months before, the room with the plate-glass window across its middle where the magazine writers had hounded Armstrong until Armstrong confessed that Man explored out as salmon swim upstream. . . .''”</blockquote>


THE NUMBER OF BOOKS PUBLISHED SINCE THE FIRST PRINTING PRESS clattered
{{dc|dc=T|he number of books published since the first printing press}} clattered
into life must by now be unguessable. Collectively their contents comprise
into life must by now be unguessable. Collectively their contents comprise
a river of knowledge and enlightenment, but also one suspects a vast reservoir of the trivial and banal.If the voice of an individual writer is to be heard
a river of knowledge and enlightenment, but also one suspects a vast reservoir of the trivial and banal. If the voice of an individual writer is to be heard
amongst the endless torrent of words he or she must develop a unique and
amongst the endless torrent of words he or she must develop a unique and
distinctive voice. Few voices were more original or engaging than Norman
distinctive voice. Few voices were more original or engaging than Norman
Line 24: Line 21:


Pugnacious and controversial, both as an individual and as a writer,
Pugnacious and controversial, both as an individual and as a writer,
Mailer never shied away from being unorthodox. And without question, ''A Fire on the Moon'' is strikingly different from any other book, its author referring to himself by his Aquarius star-sign throughout the unusual, provocative and often metaphysical narrative. The book reads like a novel, at turns rhythmic and lyrical and challenging. The way Mailer describes the
Mailer never shied away from being unorthodox. And without question, ''A Fire on the Moon'' is strikingly different from any other book, its author referring to himself by his Aquarius star-sign throughout the unusual, provocative, and often metaphysical narrative. The book reads like a novel, at turns rhythmic and lyrical and challenging. The way Mailer describes the
launch of Apollo 11 is one example of his aphoristic and quirky turn of mind:
launch of Apollo 11 is one example of his aphoristic and quirky turn of mind:


Line 32: Line 29:
they were both astronauts. Space travel was their original abiding vocation;
they were both astronauts. Space travel was their original abiding vocation;
all else flowed from that. No space agency has yet to recruit a potential space
all else flowed from that. No space agency has yet to recruit a potential space
traveller on the basis of how good their use of imagery is. As Mailer says towards the end of his book: “''. . . certainly the hour of happiness would be here when men who spoke like Shakespeare rode the ships; how many eons was that away!''” The goal of sending a poet into space seems as distant now as it was then.
traveler on the basis of how good their use of imagery is. As Mailer says towards the end of his book: “''. . . certainly the hour of happiness would be here when men who spoke like Shakespeare rode the ships; how many eons was that away!''” The goal of sending a poet into space seems as distant now as it was then.


The question arises as to whether Mailer’s superluminal fire has now been
The question arises as to whether Mailer’s superluminal fire has now been
extinguished, and where and when and if it might ever be rekindled. Will humanity by-pass the Moon in favour of Mars perhaps? Will the tracks laid
extinguished, and where and when and if it might ever be rekindled. Will humanity by-pass the Moon in favor of Mars perhaps? Will the tracks laid
down by remote controlled rovers on the Red Planet prove too tempting a
down by remote controlled rovers on the Red Planet prove too tempting a
trail to overlook? Mechanical footsteps that will demand in due course the
trail to overlook? Mechanical footsteps that will demand in due course the
accompanying imprint of a human heel? ''A Fire on Mars'' is possibly the inevitable sequel to Mailer’s intellectual voyage but it will take a different writer
accompanying imprint of a human heel? ''A Fire on Mars'' is possibly the inevitable sequel to Mailer’s intellectual voyage, but it will take a different writer
from a new generation to describe what happens next. The Age of Aquarius
from a new generation to describe what happens next. The Age of Aquarius
may be over (the arc of Mailer’s life having expired in 2007) but thanks to his
may be over (the arc of Mailer’s life having expired in 2007) but thanks to his
unique voice the Age of Apollo will never die.
unique voice the Age of Apollo will never die.


Written when the programme still had six more missions left to run, the
Written when the program still had six more missions left to run, the
book now seems like an epitaph for the whole venture, a brooding reflection
book now seems like an epitaph for the whole venture, a brooding reflection
on the manner and nature of the men who were willing to ride a rocket the
on the manner and nature of the men who were willing to ride a rocket the
Line 58: Line 55:


These celestial knights (who belong to American folklore as much as any
These celestial knights (who belong to American folklore as much as any
frontiersman) stand comparison with the armoured crusaders who once
frontiersman) stand comparison with the armored crusaders who once
met where the ruins of a stone fortress now stands, perched on the cliffs at
met where the ruins of a stone fortress now stands, perched on the cliffs at
Tintagel, and whose erstwhile king now resides in Avalon. But perhaps in
Tintagel, and whose erstwhile king now resides in Avalon. But perhaps in
the context of Mailer’s book a more apt analogy might be with the beacons
the context of Mailer’s book a more apt analogy might be with the beacons
of Gondor, lit to summon aid for the besieged city of Minas Tirith in the
of Gondor, lit to summon aid for the besieged city of Minas Tirith in the
epic lands of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. The great mountain-top pyres signalling across vast distances, kindling hope in desperate times. For
epic lands of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. The great mountain-top pyres signaling across vast distances, kindling hope in desperate times. For
metaphorical fires are surely still burning at the six Apollo landing sites and
metaphorical fires are surely still burning at the six Apollo landing sites and
are yet visible with the naked eye if you know roughly where to look, and
are yet visible with the naked eye if you know roughly where to look, and
Line 76: Line 73:
in Arthur C. Clarke’s ''Earthlight'' (1955) can yet became a reality. And perhaps,
in Arthur C. Clarke’s ''Earthlight'' (1955) can yet became a reality. And perhaps,
as Mailer said, we will only ever do that and “''go out into space''” when we can
as Mailer said, we will only ever do that and “''go out into space''” when we can
“''comprehend the world once again as poets,comprehend it as savages who knew that if the universe was a lock, its key was a metaphor.''”
“''comprehend the world once again as poets, comprehend it as savages who knew that if the universe was a lock, its key was a metaphor.''”


=== Notes ===
=== Notes ===
Klcrawford
19

edits

Retrieved from "https://projectmailer.net/pm/Special:MobileDiff/12744"