[New-Poetry] Great America

[David Graham]

On Aug 28, 2006, at 8:41 AM, steve moore wrote:

> "Someone asked whether I think there are any 'great' American  
> poets, or words to that effect, and if the question is 'great  
> poets' in the sense that Shakespeare or Dante are well the answer  
> is no, obviously"
>
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I for one am not interested in any definition of poetic greatness  
that does not include Whitman and Dickinson.  "Obviously."  And yes,  
in precisely the sense that Shakespeare or Dante were great.

Makes me think about all the essays Donald Hall wrote years back in  
which he posited that, despite the common language, English and U.S.  
poets just can't seem to *hear* each other very well.

==========================================
David Graham
grahamd at ripon.edu
Home Page:
http://www.ripon.edu/faculty/GrahamD/index.html
Poetry Library:
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