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ISBN-13: | 9781869402815 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Auckland University Press |
Publication date: | 02/01/2003 |
Pages: | 64 |
Product dimensions: | 6.50(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.20(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Captain Cook in the Underworld
By Robert Sullivan
Auckland University Press
Copyright © 2002 Robert SullivanAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-86940-633-2
CHAPTER 1
Absolution Chorus
In this quadrant of the journey
we look to redeem from burning
James, a man of his day, in hellfire –
we have twenty-first century hindsight –
while he thought he discovered
these islands already discovered by lovers
Kupe and his wife Kuramarotini.
He didn't know to presume discovery
was a lie, nor did he know the prejudices
of the unborn colony. Forgive the Ulysses
of his day, for the mores of his age,
for overlooking the inhabitants with his claim.
We the choir absolve him. For this
is the absolution chorus. Forgiveness,
remember to forgive, hold
this as Cook and his story unfolds.
And now let us listen to James
stake out his claim for the greatness
of the angel Albion, her new dominion
over an innocent slip of land.
Summon the cast from the shades,
hold a torch to their names:
bright Orpheus of the singing lyre,
poet exemplar, inspired
by His Majesty's bark Endeavour: a choir
for Endeavour travelling to the transit of Venus,
our Captain Cook's mission to see this:
Endeavour tossed about these deep waves,
a coin landing lucky side for the brave,
Endeavour James! Endeavour James!
Loft the sails of our story; embark for a new start,
an argosy in our Cook's heart:
Carl Jung more than a century in the future
argues for the stories of ancient culture
lodestars for the psyche: here Orpheus
enters Cook's first voyage in fierce
spirit, a bright star guiding Cook's choir.
Thus invisible Orpheus sings spirit songs of the lyre
stoking passions for a distant fire,
for fiery Venus travelling across the heavens
Venus luring these Europeans
for a glimpse of her in a glass,
to confirm an astronomical chart
and the psyche's template
the starry temple of woman to our crewmates
and our musical stowaway: divine Orpheus.
But enough talk from Jungian Olympus,
Orpheus and Eurydice, his heart's name,
Orpheus' love in an underworld of flames.
Bring it back to Cook. Spyglass to the ready,
the Captain speaks, heading for Tahiti.
Ah Paradiso bliss!
These natives are the gentlest, a breezy caress
while my crew
feast on all their senses can thrust and chew
from nativity. It's like Christmas!
Christmas in the sun, and mistle-
toe on the stubbled chins of our lads
from England. Even Joseph Banks
has let his hair down, great hats wear no hats at all,
these friendly islanders don't give a toss. Haul
the anchor, first mate! and drop it again,
it's almost too much with Venus on the brain.
Rule Endeavour! Endeavour
rules the waves, and soon the heavens!
Onwards for Venus! By King George
it's hard to sleep on the voyage,
especially when every glittering light
could be her skirting across the infinite night
taking my admiralty with her. Oh to sleep
without worries about sextants and angles, how deep
this new bay, how friendly her inhabitants.
It's getting on my nerves I tell you. Oh for Morpheus
and his retinue instead of all the fuss
for the crew. They're like babies: take your lime juice!
I'll whip every man who won't drink his juice!
And still I have to whip them.
I'll whip any man caught with scurvy, take his rum,
clap him in the hold
until he's better. Young and old,
[Endeavour crew
The captain doesn't know his men,
we would follow him to the end,
out of the blazing native sun
sketched by Sydney Parkinson:
where Cook goes we go too!
But we don't just thrust and chew,
we're disciplined, we're English
through and through – Venus
is our mission, and exploration
next. We crew for the nation!
I'll whip them. I'm a fair captain by George,
and I'll have my Whitby horde
free of scurvy. Look at the gracious
natives. They aren't pretentious.
They're pleased with trinkets while we aim for Venus.
Starry goddess? Bah! We are enlightened
men! To map heaven
and the dots beneath it. Beautiful dots I grant you,
with flora fit for the new gardens at Kew,
but I say science first, that's the way, my motto –
find the passage! Make a sounding, on to
discovery! I'll take one of their fry
back as a toy. HM will be pleased. Oh my Omai
he'll say and make me Admiral Cook,
the big soft butterfly. What a great look.
And the greatest look is Venus. Tonight's
the big night. We men of science
have calculated it. Spy scopes steady
on the bridge, eyes ready
to stare. "But I say, Captain, she won't appear!"
"I say, James, I say." The crew say. "Where is Venus? I say,
James." I say "Why do you assay
me?" I say "I am Captain Cook. And it is obvious
where Venus is.
It is still there, and we are still here." (Each of us
must keep our heads.) I retire to the great cabin
to tot. And what a tot. The habit
confuses me for once. I hear singing, unearthly
music from a lyre. Forty feet
out to sea! A Greek claiming he's a deity,
Credence and Fort Venus [An Historical Note]
Forgive the Orphic one his licence
even with science –
our orb did grace the cosmos of course. ...
the crew spied her from a fort
singing like a bird, such beautiful words,
how swiftly he picks his chords:
Your Venus in flames is no woman,
she is no tender blossom
making her death an event.
Your Venus is an orb who does not cry you're absent.
Your Venus is a pinprick in the sky
who doesn't understand the science of your sighs –
do not deny your sadness, James.
Then go onwards, take your destiny and your fame ...
Ship's master?! Fetch me the chart of the southern land
and my compass – we have new plans ...
hurry, lad. Hurry. What say you, Orpheus?
I have retained your cautious
advice. Yes yes I know your name is Molyneaux.
A slip of the tongue. Oh my crew
is so reliant on me – what do they think?
We believe in you, James, hold the tiller to the brink
of Hades and beyond – we believe in you, James,
you're like a father to us. We were lost souls in the shade
until we crewed your ship. You're inspiring,
it's like your sails are flying
through the cosmos of the ocean. Even Venus
sings to you – bright Orpheus
plays the music while the goddess sings your name:
James. Do not fret my dear – I didn't appear in flames ...
there was a cloud. That's all. Fate
intervened against our meeting,
but please listen to my singing,
for beauty and science intertwined in healing:
I am Venus, the morning star,
placed to guide you through the shades far
toward the southern land – the land of the cloud
that hides me now. Aotearoa of white alps
and deep harbours, a land you'll be proud
to call your own. I am Venus, the guiding light
and mistletoe of the ancients. I am the Aphrodite
of your spirit guide, the man of lyres and song –
Orpheus will do you no wrong on your long
argosy so go far, James and discover your south seas greatness.
Onward, James and remember me as a goddess
on your transit. Let this trip be the transit of night –
not the loss of a faint speck in the wilderness of sky ...
go on, James and journey for the discovery
of great peoples ... avoid the misery
of ignorance and sermons, James. Look to history
for harmony – set out well as your acts precede you –
harmony, James, be harmonious with these people:
I am their star too. I know their mana,
their skill in crossing oceans – and your anger,
James, beware your anger – the Pacific peoples
are patient to a fault, they have followed me, like pilgrims,
across the heavens for thousands of years –
but remember you are the new ones here.
Take my warning to heart, and not to muskets: there!
Hear the dreaming of the crew, our psyches in flight
while our bodies sleep – listen to the heavenly light,
Captain, listen, soul to soul we are your equals in heaven,
hear your dreaming crew as no miasma of the ocean.
We came far, from the lowest classes, with the chosen
men of the sciences – a social ladder
bent across the planet from Britannia.
Take heed, James, of singing Venus in flames.
Our Saxon ancestors knew the stars and fates.
Hear our blood calling you in a dream oh Captain.
Oh Captain don't be captured by mad men,
oh captain, our captain, oh our Captain look!
Ahoy, land ahoy, captain, land ahoy, Captain Cook!
Young Nick. Young Nick, what's the excitement?
Young Nick, what did you say? I am too frightened
to understand you – did you say land?
Aloud! land below those clouds!? Good lad!
Crew did you hear? Do you see that place?
Let's call it Young Nick's Head. By His Grace
I'll claim this all for His Majesty's domains!
Hurrah for Nick! A tot for every man aboard!
Drink up! Three cheers for Nick! What a call!
Discovery. Discovery again. We're crewing
for England and we're happy – at last great news,
no need to brood on Venus. Tomorrow we cruise,
row the boat ashore, hallelujah – there must be women
round those fires. Heaven-sent delirium –
maybe they have gold too? Nuggets
to pocket, and women to die for. How rugged,
oh ho how rugged exploration is!
We'll be famous! Making us most rugged of nations:
yo Britannia! Ho ho ho! Men settle down,
I want the cutter taken in for provisions, around
Young Nick's Head tomorrow. Good on you lad.
Draughtsman? We need to start a map,
I want every detail of this place planned,
for as you know, this could be the Southern Land
of Ptolemy – the ancients knew their science
and now's the chance to prove our might!
To complete the chart of the planet – our purpose
to place Britain as the star of the world chorus:
a star shining on knowledge, a star shining
on kindness, a star shining on the crying
masses ignorant of the wisdom of the West:
our technical knowhow got us here, we're the best,
goodness knows how they did it. Who cares?
Sleep my good crew. Sleep. Tomorrow is forever
away when you step onto the southern land.
Sleep this night away. Sleep for England.
Go to Morpheus, gently into the night ...
Venus, I'm looking for you – in the waves at night.
Venus out of sight
in black space. Oh mist and frigate birds,
if only my hurt
from missing you wasn't for a star! Why turn?
Who am I missing? Is it my doom to wander
a world alone? Why gather
stardust when I have my marriage to Elizabeth?
Where is God's plan in heathenness?
I must sleep. God of the waves, I must lighten this.
We solemnly stake Great Britain's claim
to sovereignty over this domain
which shall be known as New Zealand.
God Save England
and the Hanovers! First we go round, then we go in –
we'll cut these islands from the ocean
like a circumcision –
it's a snip on paper. Oh visions
of arching mountains, aeolian breeze,
nubile and agile innocents dotted between the trees,
nay, pillars of wood fit for Athens! A land
for gods like the Greeks and Romans,
these innocents belong to this paradise lost
for all time until now, our ship-tossed
crew has rediscovered their lust for life,
and their unfortunate hosts. Another template lies
in the Western story of these islands,
well insular, well bedded, the Cook model,
the statues – pillars turned to rubble
in postmodern society. But back then they were wow!
Muskets blatting like ghetto blasters, pow!
They were the imperial cool,
the vanguard of the coolest king to rule,
from the far side of another ocean,
flag-fluttering history set in motion.
Bang! They all fall down!
Bang! Britain's the talk in town,
let's make Cook a deity. Hail Da King!
The biggest kill machine
with a crew to match – just look at that hat,
he's gotta be a god, blat blat blat!
We the peoples of this island
assure you, Cook God, we are frightened
and beg you to stop killing
our people. Your men find it thrilling
to kill us – so it's anything you want
great powerful Cook, but don't
kill us anymore. We aren't gods. We bleed
when you whip us, we scream
at your fire sticks – and we die
from the illnesses of gods. Give us time
good Cook, to learn. We are humbled
by your divine kindness in seeking us, but
dear divine holiness please care,
see our wretched confusion and spare
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Captain Cook in the Underworld by Robert Sullivan. Copyright © 2002 Robert Sullivan. Excerpted by permission of Auckland University Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Half-title,Title Page,
Dedication,
Epigraph,
INTRODUCTORY NOTE,
ABSOLUTION CHORUS,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
WORKS CONSULTED,
Copyright,