Discussions in the last few days have illustrated how, like me, there are many creative people (women) feeling frustrated by circumstance and a little starved of culture because of ‘domestic contraints’.
Now I can be a bit intolerant of stories of housewives emerging from their domestic coocons into creative butterflies because too often they are dismissive of families and partners, but in light of yesterday’s post I’d like to share this from a 1996 article about Patti Smith – which is somewhat different.
“Most surprising, to me, was a reference she made to a conversation she’d had with her late husband about the garbage disposal, in which she quoted him as calling her “Trisha.” This is clearly Smith’s altar ego: Trisha Smith, housewife, mother and part-time poet. We may not have suspected Trisha’s existence, but I think we feared her nonetheless”
So I suggest that when we feel down and in the creative doldrums we think about Trisha and Patti. And then maybe reach for the nearest Keri Smith book.
Nice one :)
I guess I was meaning that even Patti Smith had to deal with taking out the rubbish too.
Her song Frederick to her late husband (drummer in Grateful Dead?) is joy.
I play About A Boy to F&S and they glaze over in a trance.
Hubby was Fred “Sonic” Smith, former guitar player for Detroit rock band MC5 and his own Sonic’s Rendezvous Band. “About a Boy” is wonderful. Her version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is something too.
Ah so. I have some songs from “12”, Teen Spirit is good, China Bird sublime. Patti is very much the whole rounded poet, when Bono said at a concert Patti is The Mother, Patti said to Bono…F off Bono.
Patti is the real deal.
That is very cool, P. Although, there wasn’t much of Trisha in the movie, was there. The movie was pretty much all Patti…
Good to know Patti is Trisha sometimes, though!
‘Part-time poet’ sounds so depressing to me for some reason…like you switch off your senses 60% of the time.
xx Helen
I thought it weird in the movie how her old Detroit home seemed simply abandoned – maybe she abandoned Trisha? I like to think more “incorporated” though. I found the comment hopeful – I mean if Patti had her Trisha time then it means we all can and come though it stronger.
A&ML said, we all can and come though it stronger.
Yes, for those who wish to love and make it can be.
The words poem and poetry derive from the Greek poiēma (to make) and poieo (to create).
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