This week, still focusing on 'Place', we're looking at 'Pink Mist' by Owen Sheers. It is a verse-drama about the experiences of three young soldiers who are sent on tour to Afghanistan. The drama also has its roots in Bristol, and both settings are central to the drama. It was originally recorded for Radio 4, but unfortunately, the programmes aren't available on i-player at the moment. I'll let you know if that changes.
Read this extract. Then read this review from the Guardian and this information from the writer's own webpage.
I went to hear a reading of the poem at the weekend - in Redcliffe caves - and it was powerful stuff. Strongly recommended. Owen Sheers had some really useful tips on writing in meter as well, which I'll pass on to you next lesson.
What are your thoughts on 'Pink Mist'? Post your comments, please!
Had to read it twice to get my head around it- very clever concept. I like the subtle rhyme which is present throughout, especially 'the fields and trees all black and green' which has a really nice rhythm. It isn't my favourite style of poetry as I find it a little bit close to prose, but it's very well written.
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I quite enjoyed it as it was written in the "inner monologue" style I accidentally write in all the time! It was very, I don't know if basic is the right word, but basic language - not as much imagery as I expected. I doubt I could read the entire poem as it's not quite poetry and not quite prose and I think I'd struggle to get my head around it.
ReplyDeleteI liked the first stanza in a weird way - probably due to the slight rhythm going on - but I found it hard to read the rest. For me, poetry has to flow like water as you read it and I found that this poem didn't flow like that. I mainly write in free-verse but I love the way my writing tends to flow, or rather, read well. I did have to read it a few times to get the gist of it and didn't like the very little use of imagery - It was too factual and robotic for me. For this very reason, I doubt I'd read the entire poem or the entire collection (if they are written similarly to this one). - Chloe
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the poem it was only till the last 2 stanza’s that actually sparked any interest for me, I think this is due to the pure description which doesn't majorly appeal to me. But then loved it when the references to the ‘pink mist’ became apparent, the speech of “You’ll get used to it. We did.” Gives quite a sinister tone to what this pink mist represents.
ReplyDeleteI found it quite difficult differentiating between whether the persona of ‘Andy’ was observational of other dead bodies or whether the persona himself was dead, ‘placed me in the coffin’ and ‘draping me in the colours of the flag’, here the tense is still in 1st person so I came to the conclusion the persona was dead but am still confused on this.
It’s certainly a challenging poem that deserves to be read over again in order to appreciate the quite ambiguous ideas shown.
For those of you who found it difficult, think of it as a verse drama, not just a poem. If you heard it read aloud, you would hear the rhythms! Lauren - you're right. The persona is dead. The image of the 'pink mist' is horrific.
ReplyDelete'A fine spray of pink, a delicate mist
as if some genie has granted a wish'.
Shot me out, like a jack in the box - I like this line.
ReplyDeleteThis, for me, is a slightly weird. Drama poetry has a weird sense to it for me. Nevertheless the rhymes used and the way it was performed created an eerie and tense feeling in the air.
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