Three Hundred Words
Encyclopedia
"Three Hundred Words" for some, is probably a minor, insubstantial piece of poetry, but it showcases a number of Roy Harper's
literary technique
s and characteristics, and is worthy of further consideration.
According to Harper's spoken introduction on his 1992 Live album, Born in Captivity II
, (re-released in 1993 as Unhinged
) "Three Hundred Words" was written for a benefit concert for Lancashire
batsman, Graeme Fowler
. It not only concerns one of Harper's most oft-cited loves, cricket
(see "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
", on the album HQ
), it also picks up the themes of England
, combining historical reminiscences with current events, using minor observations to make major (political) statements, breaking rhymes
across lines, and using clever mixed metaphors. It is, therefore, quintessentially Harper.
Roy Harper
Roy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
literary technique
Literary technique
A literary technique is any element or the entirety of elements a writer intentionally uses in the structure of their work...
s and characteristics, and is worthy of further consideration.
According to Harper's spoken introduction on his 1992 Live album, Born in Captivity II
Born in Captivity II
Born in Captivity II is a 1992 live album by English folk/rock singer-songwriter Roy Harper.- History :The album was released as a limited edition cassette available by mail order. Though the album is out of print, it has remained popular with Harper fans due to its sound quality, song selection...
, (re-released in 1993 as Unhinged
Unhinged (album)
Unhinged is a 1993 live album by English folk/rock singer-songwriter Roy Harper.- History :Initially the album, recorded at various concerts in the UK between 1989 and 1991, was intended as an introductory album for the Canadian market, at a time when Harper appeared to be contemplating a move to...
) "Three Hundred Words" was written for a benefit concert for Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
batsman, Graeme Fowler
Graeme Fowler
Graeme "Foxy" Fowler is a former English professional cricketer, who played for Lancashire, England, and later for Durham...
. It not only concerns one of Harper's most oft-cited loves, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
(see "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
"When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease" is a track on the Roy Harper album HQ. Released as a single twice, in 1975 and 1978, it is possibly Roy's best-known song. The song captures the atmosphere of a village cricket match and is an elegy to a previous age...
", on the album HQ
HQ (album)
HQ is the eighth studio album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released in 1975 by Harvest Records...
), it also picks up the themes of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, combining historical reminiscences with current events, using minor observations to make major (political) statements, breaking rhymes
Broken Rhyme
Broken rhyme, also called Split rhyme, is a form of rhyme. It is produced by dividing a word at the line break of a poem to make a rhyme with the end word of another line. Gerard Manley Hopkins' poem The Windhover, for example, divides the word "kingdom" at the end of the first line to rhyme with...
across lines, and using clever mixed metaphors. It is, therefore, quintessentially Harper.
- I remember Pat Tetley,
- and romping in grass
- - that was tall -
- at the back of the cricket field
Cricket pitchIn the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
,- trying to catch glimpses
- of knickers and ass
ButtocksThe buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
,- whilst over the fence
- the crowd yelled, ooh-ed and roared,
- as Ramadhin
Sonny RamadhinSonny Ramadhin was a West Indian cricketer, and a dominant bowler of the 1950s. He was the first West Indian cricketers of Indian origin, and was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1951.- Biography and career :...
, WeekesEverton WeekesSir Everton DeCourcy Weekes, KCMG, GCM, OBE is a leading former West Indian cricketer. Along with Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott, he formed what was known as "The Three Ws" of West Indian cricket.-Youth and early career:...
and Frank WorrellFrank WorrellSir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell is sometimes referred to by his nickname of Tae and was a West Indies cricketer and Jamaican senator...
all scored...