I
In 2016 verskyn die film Paterson deur Jim Jarmusch, daardie aweregse filmmaker. Adam Driver is die busbestuurder en Golshifteh Frahani is sy vrou. Hy is ‘n digter wat al sy gedigte opskryf in ‘n notaboek en sy droom om ‘n country musiekster te word en haar eie kolwyntjie-besigheid te begin.
En daar is ‘n hond Marvin …
Die film speel in een week af. Dit begin op die Maandag. Paterson is ‘n New Jersey-busbestuurder in die stad Paterson. New Jersey is ook die ruimte van Robert Pinsky. Allen Ginsberg het ook hier groot geword.
Die kamera fokus dikwels op sy horlosie wat vinnig beweeg. Hy is gebonde aan tyd. Hy staan vroeg op, luister na die mense op die bus en skryf sy gedigte neer in ‘n notaboek. Op ‘n keer breek die bus en hy help al die passasiers. Jongelinge se gesprekke oor die politiek is interessant. Hy ontmoet ‘n jong meisie een middag ná werk wat een van haar gedigte vir hom lees …
Ná werk gaan stap hy met die hond, Marvin en drink ‘n bier by die Shades Bar. Die eienaar is ene Doc. Daar is ook een aand ‘n rusie wat Paterson opklaar.
Laura, sy vrou, luister na sy gedigte. ‘n Kopknik hier na Petrarca. Sy versoek hom op afdrukke van sy gedigte te maak, maar helaas een aand wanneer hulle terugkeer van ‘n film op die Saterdagaand, het die hond die notaboek verslind. Daar lê net frommels op die vloer.
Die volgende dag gaan die bedrukte Paterson na Groot Valle van Passaic-rivier en ontmoet ‘n Japannese man. Hy lees Paterson deur William Carlos Williams. Hierdie man meen ‘n vertaling is soos om met ‘n reënjas te stort. Hy praat oor die digkuns van Frank O’Hara, behorende tot die New York-skool.
Die vreemdeling besef dat Paterson ‘n digter is, ofskoon hy dit ontken. Hy gee aan hom ‘n notaboek en die film eindig met die hoofkarakter wat ‘n gedig neerskryf in die notaboek.
En so lui daardie gedig:
The Line
There is an old song
my grandfather use to sing
that has the question,
“or would you rather be a fish?”
In the same song
is the same question
but with a mule and a pig,
but the one I hear sometimes
in my head is the fish one
just that one line.
Would you rather be a fish?
As if the rest of the song
didn’t have to be there.
II
William Carlos Williams (1883 –1963) word beskou as ‘n Amerikaanse modernistiese digter wat behoort het tot die Imagists. Hy was ‘n dokter. Pediater en algemene praktisyn.
“This is just to say” en “The red wheelbarrow” is van sy bekendste gedigte en sy debuut Paterson (1946 – 1958) word steeds as ‘n baken beskou.
Minimalistiese verse met ‘n groot draagwydte.
The Red Wheelbarrow
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
Copyright Credit: William Carlos Williams, “The Red Wheelbarrow” from The Collected Poems of William Carlos Williams, Volume I, 1909-1939, edited by Christopher MacGowan. Copyright 1938 by New Directions Publishing Corporation. Public Domain.
Source: The Collected Poems: Volume I 1909-1939 (New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1938)
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45502/the-red-wheelbarrow Besoek 17 Junie 2025
This Is Just To Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
Copyright Credit: William Carlos Williams,”This Is Just to Say” from The Collected Poems: Volume I, 1909-1939, copyright ©1938 by New Directions Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.
Source: The Collected Poems: Volume I, 1909-1939 (New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1991)
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56159/this-is-just-to-say Besoek 17 Junie 2025
III
Ron Padgett het die gedigte vir die film geskryf en Jarmusch het “Water Falls” geskryf die gedig van die jong meisie wat die busbestuurder later voordra.
https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/editorial/meet-ron-padgett Besoek 19 Junie 2025
Padgett is digter, essayis, fiksieskrywer en vertaler. Great Balls of Fire is in 1969 gepubliseer. Hy verower die Shelley Memorial in 2009 en in 2018 die Frost-medalje. Hy is gebore in 1942 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Hier is sy gedigte vir die film:
Love Poem
We have plenty of matches in our house
We keep them on hand always
Currently our favourite brand
Is Ohio Blue Tip
Though we used to prefer Diamond Brand
That was before we discovered
Ohio Blue Tip matches
They are excellently packaged
Sturdy little boxes
With dark and light blue and white labels
With words lettered
In the shape of a megaphone
As if to say even louder to the world
Here is the most beautiful match in the world
It’s one-and-a-half-inch soft pine stem
Capped by a grainy dark purple head
So sober and furious and stubbornly ready
To burst into flame
Lighting, perhaps the cigarette of the woman you love
For the first time
And it was never really the same after that
All this will we give you
That is what you gave me
I become the cigarette and you the match
Or I the match and you the cigarette
Blazing with kisses that smoulder towards heaven
Another One
When you’re a child you learn there are three dimensions
Height, width and depth
Like a shoebox
Then later you hear there’s a fourth dimension
Time
Hmm
Then some say there can be five, six, seven…
I knock off work
Have a beer at the bar
I look down at the glass and feel glad
Poem
I’m in the house
It’s nice out
Warm
Sun on cold snow
First day of spring
Or last day of winter
My legs run up the stairs
And out the door
My top half here writing
https://poetryschool.com/poems/poems-film-paterson/ Besoek 19 Junie 2025
‘n Aangrypende film wat die digkuns só besonders vertolk. En die digter Gilbert Gibson het die film aanbeveel.
Joan Hambidge
Kaapstad
20 Junie 2025