Lay for the Day 8th January

1935: the birthday of Elvis Presley. (Have you noticed the striking resemblance of Elvis to the Statue of Liberty? If you follow the link to the lyrics of the song ‘Up Shook of All’, from the album Play, you’ll see what I mean.)

A poem from the book of Praises:

97. Of Elvis Presley

Adored and
mocked respectively
for what he wasn’t and was,

whether the sapling’s surge and rustle
of green, inspired and flexible youth

or later dark brown
cello roundness; royal, light
or midnight blue; whether inflated,
fattened, vibrated, in self-parodic pop,
touchingly; or driven at rock John-Henry-

like, directly – hollowness,
not emptiness but habitation
by a ghost persisted; who said to the folk
who mocked and adored him, “I hope I haven’t bored you.”

John Gibbens, from Collected Poems

 

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