a conversation between robin and myself about the origins of this poem (in memoriam Robin Mathews : November 1, 1931 - April 25, 2023)

(in memoriam Robin Mathews : November 1, 1931 - April 25, 2023)

Transcription of bonus episode

Robin

That's a funny poem. 

Claude

What's it about, do you think? What do you remember it being about? Do you recognize it as your own? ? 

Robin

I do recognize it, but I don't know where it came from. 

Claude

Well, you wrote it just a few weeks ago on January 1st. You talked something about the grimms myths, that deeper into the woods is a reference to that. Does that ring a bell? 

Robin

Yeah. Grimm's fairy tales, I think has the line and they went deeper into the forest. 

Claude

Right. So that might have been an inspiration. 

Robin

Might have. Without even connecting to it. 

Claude

Well, what I'll try to do is to illustrate it a bit with sound. 

Robin

Oh, neat. 

Claude

Yeah with some wind sounds and some of the, the sort of distant voices.  It's a beautiful poem. Thank you. 

Robin

Oh, good. I’m so pleased. Where did these things come from, eh? 

Claude

Yeah, from the poet. It's a bit of haunting poem because it has these illusions to going under water and distant voices

Robin

And being alone

Claude

Maybe that's the way you were feeling on that day. 

Robin

Don't ask me 

Claude

I mean, poetry is like that, right? It just comes out and you're not sure exactly what you're feeling but the words are there 

Robin

And the idea that the surface is up there somewhere and you're under it, you know? 

Claude

We've had a lot of conversations over the years about poetry and political poetry. I don't know if you remember, but we did a number of interviews and you read a lot of your poems as well. I 

Robin

You've got them, have you? 

Claude

Yeah, I have them. You know, so maybe I'll publish some of them if that's okay with you and make them available. 

Robin

Yeah.

Claude

You sent us postcards over the years you used to paint on a postcard and then write a little note and send them in the mail and so we have a whole bunch of them at home of your paintings. 

Robin

Yeah. I remember. I don't know why I stopped doing that. It's kind of fun to get original postcards. 

Claude

And we collected them. Maybe you ran outta landscape.. 

Robin

Or paint. 

Claude

Or paint or postcards…

*

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Latest update on January 9, 2026