e e cummings & Pure Poetry in Sandrina's Review of Cambodia Beer
@sandrina.life doesn't know this,
but when she wrote a review of three Asian beers two days ago, she created a couple lines of pure poetry that haunted me for the rest of the day.
Cambodia is the youngest one. The national beer of Cambodia, the most popular, spoiled by a lot of advertising, in reality is rough and cheap.
It is the beer of the students and the broken ones.
For 0.52 of USD you can grow your belly without a tomorrow.
She was writing about cheap beer, but there was something heartbreaking and universal in her words.
The desperation of the poverty-stricken alcoholic. The callous market ready to supply and profit from unhealthy consumption. The universal resignation we feel when we take in something shoddy and bad for us with a sense of resignation and who-fuckin'-cares. Or when we know we're going to regret what we're about to do, but we keep on doing it anyway.
All in a review of Cambodia lager.
I had to rearrange her words in the mono-spaced style of mid-century American poet e e cummings.
(the youngest one)
the most popular...
in reality
is rough and cheap
it is the beer
of the students
and
the bro-
ken ones.
For 0.52
(of ewe ess dee)
you can grow your belly
without
a tomorrow...
I think cummings would have liked Sandrina. He was a traveler and an observer, and, like her, lived life with a lot more adventure in than most of us.
She also speaks far more languages than I ever will. And as someone who can flit from one to another, she winds up using words in ways that are full of unexpected charm and effectiveness.
In my mind, I see this poem translated into a painting, too. Alas, I lack the skill to execute it. Perhaps I can prevail upon @donnadavisart to carry out the vision.
Sandrina, I hope you don't mind my riffing on your excellent review.
If this post does well I'll send her the SBD to use as beer money.
Do you read poetry? Are you a fan of e e cummings? What sort of poetry do you enjoy?
Do you hear poetry in the everyday?
Interesting observation. I have known Sandrina for years. She always comes out with these little poetic nuggets. I think that it is a combination of her own left field perceptions along with a little bit of translating the way that she speaks from her native Sicilian tongue.
I remember once she was railing against this person whom I can longer remember the name of. She said "If you heart is small like a peanut then you only deserve shit in your life" Another winner to be sure.
Maybe it has something to do with the translation of Mediterranean languages. I had an Italian piano teacher who would speak in much the same way. "Move your fingers here like the nose of a horse. Nudge! Nudge!"
But Sandrina is definitely one-of-a-kind. It must be a blast to hang out with her in person.
When Sandra is around, interesting things seems to happen. Her new name should be Serendipity Sandrina!
I love poetry! Cummings too!
Damn, that's a great translation. I agree great poetry can be found in reinterpretation and translation.
Thanks for a finely written discussion and shout out to one of the true gems of Steemit. A real character, with a wit and charm, and, as you say, way with the word that is one of a kind. And fun to boot. Write on.
I've never really cared for poetry and hated the days of spoken word open mike nights at the cafes. but then again, none of the poems I've ever read were beer reviews...
Oh! What a nice surprise to be back and see this post. ^^ I feel very close to the poor ones and the invisible, because I remember where my family comes from and where my sister is now.
But that's another long topic...
Really! so many people have been inspired by the way I speak and I seriously think it is because I translate from Italian and I am (sort of) spiritual.
I read anything that comes randomly under my hands, from poetry to food recipe, from boring annual reports to silly gossip blogs.
There must be something about Italian that brings colorful, poetic language to mind. Or maybe it's just the Italian brain. I said in another comment that my piano teacher was the same way, but now that I think of it I don't think she actually spoke Italian. It was just in her ancestry. Anyway, keep enchanting us with your words, please!
The lyrics are wonderful and very refined
I love poetry a lot
Really great article