Directory of Lost Causes (By Quentin S. Crisp)

Whaling

Now, some time back, good people, I told you of my discovery of a wonderful poet by the name of Kaneko Misuzu. Well, since that time I have translated a number of her poems, and one of my translations has been published in Magma Poetry Magazine. I went along to the launch of issue 32 and gave a bilingual reading of the poem in question. It seemed to be very well received, which was heartening.



I did not choose to translate this poem because it is topical, although, of course, it is. Hopefully the fact that this is arguably an anti-whaling poem written by a Japanese poet should help to defuse some stereotypes.

As for my own position on whaling, well, I am a (not very disciplined) vegetarian, so currently I do not eat any meat. I find pictures of whaling rather repulsive, but I don't think it's any worse than what happens in any abbatoir bringing people their daily helpings of pig, cow and chicken meat.

Do I support a lift on the whaling moratorium?

In a word, no. Animals need all the protection they can get.



Now, for the poem in question, please click on this link. If it doesn't work, you may have to register with the Magma Poetry site.

If all else fails, scroll to the bottom of the front (home?) page, and you will find my name there, next to the title 'Whaling'.