Place of human error, of ice and debris trail

The bodies of Robert Falcon Scott and his fellow polar explorers were found on the Antarctic ice 100 years ago this November. Bill Manhire, together with photographer Anne Noble, composer Norman Meehan and singer Hannah Griffin has produced These Rough Notes (Victoria University Press, hbk).

These Rough Notes<br><b>Bill Manhire, Anne Noble, Norman Meehan, Hannah Griffin</b><br><i>Victoria University Press</i>
These Rough Notes<br><b>Bill Manhire, Anne Noble, Norman Meehan, Hannah Griffin</b><br><i>Victoria University Press</i>

This is a gorgeous book which brings together words, images and music. Ice, light, weather and being human are explored in a few short pages.

In late 2004, Manhire was asked by Ed Hillary to write a poem for the 25th anniversary of the Erebus disaster.

Hillary was not a practising Christian and asked if Manhire could write something for him. Erebus Voices was written quickly.

I am here beside my brother, Terror.
I am the place of human error.
I am beauty and cloud, and I am
sorrow;
I am tears which you will weep
tomorrow.
I am the sky and the exhausting gale.
I am the place of ice. I am the debris
trail.
I am as far as you can see.
I am the place of memory.
And I am still a hand, a fingertip, a
ring.
I am what there is no forgetting.
I am the one with truly broken heart.
I watched them fall, and freeze, and
break apart.

Griffin has a smoky, jazzy voice on the accompanying CD. She literally makes music out of Manhire's poems.

These Rough Notes is a great coming together of some brilliant New Zealand talent.

The effect is abstract and disarming, and yet beautifully melodic. A world of influences has been thrown together in a blender - or a time machine.

By Hamesh Wyatt.

 

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