Help: Peter Viereck poem: Sinister Potato

Subject: Peter Viereck
From: Gypsy
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 11:25 PM

It is almost music........am looking for the poem (s) "To a sinister potato, and "a walk in snow" Sinister Potato was set to music by Bruce Trinkley, but i can only find a fragment of the words. Anyone out there with the book, or advice? Will make our mando player very happy.

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck
From: Gypsy
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 10:28 PM

One more try, eh? Anyone out there with this? Thanks, all

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 01:16 AM

Well, I did some looking and found something about Viereck. The name was familiar, but that's it. So, even if you don't get your poem, Gypsy, you inspired Joe Offer to learn about Peter Viereck.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck
From: Gypsy
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 11:29 AM

Yeah, me too. This is for our mando player, who we always want to keep happy. Thanks for the links! Anyone else out there?

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck poem: Sinister Potato
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 12:16 PM

Refreshing, isn't it?

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck poem: Sinister Potato
From: Hollowfox
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 12:24 PM

I'm at work, so I can't check for a few more hours, but isn't the sinister potato poem in the libretto for Rosalie Sorrells' Folk Legacy album?

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck poem: Sinister Potato
From: Gypsy
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 12:15 AM

Yes, it is. Howsomever, not got the disc. Do you? Feel like doing a wee bit of transcription? thanks all.

Subject: ADD: Peter Viereck poem: Sinister Potato
From: Hollowfox
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 04:53 PM

Here we go: this was printed with the author's permission in the record book. Here it is printed without permission, but with respect. It's from his book Selected and New Poems (1967, Bobbs-Merrill)

To A Sinister Potato

Oh vast earth apple, waiting to be fried,
Of all the starers the most many-eyed,
What furtive purpose hatched you long ago
In Indiana or in Idaho?

In Indiana and in Idaho
Snug underground the great potatoes grow,
Puffed up with secret paranoias unguessed
By all the duped and starch-fed middle west.

Like coiled up springs or like a will-to-power,
The fat and earthy lurkers bide their hour,
The silent watchers of our raucous show
In Indiana and in Idaho.

"They think us dull, a food and not a flower,
Wait! We'll outshine all roses in our hour.
Not wholesomness but mania swells us so
In Indiana and in Idaho.

"In each Kiwanis Club on every plate
So bland and health exuding do we wait
That Indiana never, never knows
How much we envy stars and hate the rose."

Some doom will strike (as all potatoes know)
When, once too often mashed in Idaho,
From its cocoon the drabbest of earth's powers
Rises and is a star

And shines
And lours.

Subject: RE: Help: Peter Viereck poem: Sinister Potato
From: Gypsy
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 10:54 PM

Mine very own hero! Thanks ever so much, will make our venerable mando player quite happy. :>)!!!!!!!!!!!