Radically Chinese

for Eric Mottram: 1924-1995 (not because of any debt, felt or incurred)* one stroke a point leftstroke bent hooked two a cover man man enter eight borders to cover ice table receptacle knife strength wrap spoon basket box ten to divine seal cliff private also mouth enclosure earth scholar follow walk evening great woman child roof inch small lame crooked corpse sprout mountain stream work self napkin shield tiny shelter move on join hands a dart a bow pig’s head feathery to pace heart spear door hand branch tap writings measure axe square not sun speak moon wood owe stop evil kill do not compare hair family air water fire claws father change a frame a strip tooth ox dog dark jade melon tile sweet produce use field bolt of cloth sick back to back white skin dish eye lance arrow stone spirit to track grain cave erect bamboo rice silk earthenware net sheep feathers old plough ear brush flesh officer from self reach a mortar tongue opposed boat a limit colour grass tiger insect blood do clothes cover see horn words valley platter pig reptile shell red walk foot body cart bitter time stop & go city new wine separate village metal long gate plenty reach to a bird rain azure false face rawhide leather leek sound heading wind fly eat head fragrance horse bone high long hair fight wine cauldron ghost fish bird salt deer wheat hemp yellow millet black embroidery toad tripod drum rodent nose even teeth drag on tortoise flute * Eric N.W. Mottram, an outstanding and prolific poet, held the Chair of English and American Literature at King's College, University of London. [This poem was accepted for publication in Radical Poetics (London).] From: T. Wignesan Copyright ©: T. Wignesan, 22-23 November 1995 (from the collection: longhand notes (a binding of poems), 1999.