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Sir Richard Burton Actors are not thought much upon the pages of History. Their tread more a swipe at dust, than bold mark blood-emblazoned. And so, I had thought the hanger on to twisted beauty Demented more than ever to pedophile cause, now. But such men are not to be measured, half-kissing beauty Shorted by stick to measure worthiness better. A. Miller dug to frailty with his own penis at the same flesh and blood pin-up. But Burton, a man whose lines often shorted him, more worthy than Sometimes the Bard himself, to find so true the very intention The Muse placed upon every tone and measure. Able to know within what was to come without, yet find the way A thing said more than once, was never still the same. While living, his legacy, as that of all, was not apparent. Even then, So tawdry can we be, the hints of his greatness were not met With his best. And I, practiced in art to know better, knew so suddenly how poorly I knew. When I first drew in, The Medusa Touch, so disingenuously after his death. |
Additional Notes:
Burton was foremost a Shakespearean actor, who, no matter what role he played
saved some rich reminder of that Elizabethan legacy for his lines. The movie,
The Medusa Touch, gave him a role in which the full expanse of his delivery
in all measure could be delivered. That it had a futurist or science fiction
bent gave it even more of the Grecian Stage larger-than-life demeanor...one
the actor added greatly to. His swan song oration within a fervent pleading
for his doomed client before the English court is equal to the Eulogy of
Caesar by Mark Antony in Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar. It had to have been
written with both Shakespeare and Burton in mind.
Just as these elements are so astoundingly found in a poorly promoted cinema,
so to is the incredible parallel this movie itself verges upon as it becomes as
stark a euphemism as there is for endless, timeless, watonless existence. Sadly
this awareness underlined Burton's life and haunted many of the interpretations
he placed upon his roles. For one cannot separate such gifted understandings
from life.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Tony P Spicuglia On Date: 2006-03-07 15:14:13
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
James,
You capture an bifurcated vision that meets with your theme. The style, almost a Shakespearean suite, that brings alive the object of your piece. I don’t know if I would agree with your opening line;
“Actors are not thought much upon the pages of History.” as with all artists they are probably staged improperly for circumstance, but never held with the esteem for innate value to humanity. I can say that Poets, Bards, and Painters probably all fall into the near pseudo-realm of, “very nice, and glad we have ‘em, but the can opener has had a far more practical effect on society”. Then again, the metaphor is clearer in the following lines. I am not sure that Arthur Miller (my assumption of A. Miller) would find the piece a flattering caricature (nor do I think, in any case it is really pertinent to your piece, more a contrast you needed to make for your own defining), but it is easily ingested. In fact, it is an obtuse relation between the beauty of the artist being overvalued (all artists; aka; the questionable acting skills of Marilyn Monroe) – as compared to the overlooked skill of the artisan being undervalued, but I like it, I’ll take it. You could have said it just as bitingly without the anatomical reference.
I was spellbound reading this piece. Although I am often suspect of tribute pieces (mostly cause I know the value of the can opener as well), I caught much of the spirit of who the man was. Also, being a true lover of the Shakespearean ilk, I have early honored those who could command the presence to do it well. Your verse was like that, so I was entertained. Passionately it made its peace.
I will tell you up front I have no reference for the “pedophile”- particularly in the day and age it was, but nevertheless it works, narcissism is ever that way. Oddly, the marriage of Richard and Elizabeth, embroiled in her young passions, might be construed to adhere to like passions of Miller and MM, anyway; just a thought.
As I said, I was captivated by your reference, and this piece immediately brought to mind similar situations, those of Lawrence Olivier, Vincent Price, and maybe in a modern sense Patrick Stewart, whose fame came not from Shakespeare, but from the silver screen/t.v., and yet were always at their height as thespians when given to perform a piece by the great one, or a similarly written play.
When you spoke of “The Medusa Touch”, I couldn’t have echoed more strongly your thoughts, of how such a great actor could draw and raise the piece- raise himself once more- beyond the quality of the script. You may not agree, but the “one last great moment” was similar for me to Burt Lancaster’s small part in “The Field of Dreams”, where I believe, he granted us all his personal “Good night Mrs. Calabash”, and for a moment was greater than a very good script.
Excellent piece!! Should vie for this months winner; however, this is a tough month to judge.