(That's one of Rod McKuen's poems. Rod's website is HERE.)
Astrodatabank has his natal chart. Sun conjunct Venus in Taurus (Venus's home sign), in trine to Neptune in Virgo is a classic configuration for a writer/poet. There's a Yod formation in his chart too - a sextile between Mercury in Aries and Saturn in Aquarius which both link to Jupiter in Virgo by quincunx (150*), forming a sharply pointed triangle. Astrologers consider that the energies of the sextiled planets are blended and chanelled through the planet at the apex. In this case Mercury and Saturn (writing/communication and discipline/business) are chanelled through Jupiter, the planet which represents publication and expansion. According to Wikipedia, Rod has written/composed at least 1500 songs, accounting for over 100 million records... now there's expansive for ya! He may not be lauded by literature's elite - but that only serves to endear him more to yours truly. 
6 comments:
It's funny this, T. I like a lot of his writing but his big moneymaker "Jean" makes my flesh crawl.
Go figure..
XO
WWW
I liked that. And here's me, writing lots of poetry, but I admit to not reading many of the big poets.
WWW ~~~ I know him best for his Sinatra album "A Man Alone" - I just love it - especially when I'm feeling moody. ;-)
That's strange - your "Jean" feeling. Perhaps it triggers an unpleasant memory.
anthonynorth ~ There are so many to catch up with, AN. Many on this side of the pond I've never even heard of, but well worth investigating. :-)
Well, you've hit me. Not sure how it happened, but the emergence of Rod McKuen and my initial ventures into romance coincided in the '60s. The books, the albums because inspiration for me to churn out some of the sappiest poetry ever written - but it did inspire me to write and to let loose of the "'60s high school stereotype" that dictated a "jock" couldn't also be a romantic and acknowledge his sensitive side.
Saw him in concert in '70 at Illinois State University, but by then I was writing less romance poetry and was churning out "radical" political verse and manifestos.
TNPOTUS ~~ Aha! The Feminine Side!
You guys - y'all have to have one, and the best don't mind showing it.
;-)
I bet some of those manifestos of yours were fun!
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