[New-Poetry] Taking Kooser's measure

[Roger Day]

In historical terms that's "just" - still, these judgements are
constructed on the wings of fashion and props of statehood. See the UK
current curriculum and it's institutionalisation of the "canon".

On 8/30/06, Robin <robin.hamilton2 at btinternet.com> wrote:
> Quoth Roger Day:
>
> > Why is Donne major? In Johnson's time, he was considered extremely
> > minor. He's only just been dug out of the wood pile.
>
> Not "just" -- it's coming up to 100 years now.  The turning point was with
> Grierson's edition of 1912, followed by his selection in +Metaphysical
> Lyrics and Poets of the Seventeenth Century+ which T.S.Eliot reviewed
> (anonymously) in the TLS in 1923.  After that, it's history.

> > You can take Shakespeare out behind the woodshed and shot him as well.
> > Without that multi-million pound industry propping him up, he'd be
> > considered shite.
>
> Bullshit, Roger.  You may not like it, like losing an election, but I'm
> afraid you can't dissolve the public and elect another.  You're pissing
> against the wind of about 400 years of continuous staging of Bill's plays,
> well before the "multi-million pound industry" was even a twinkle in a
> spinmeister's eye.  This particular nonsense is more usually found in the
> mouths of paid-up academics like Terence Hawkes.  Shame on you!  <g>

Well, bollocks to you as well. If that's the case then, take the
current prop away and let's see what happens shall we? If he's *that
good, then S can continue unaided, sans institutionalised theatres,
sans grants, sans curriculum, into the dim and distant future. I wish
him and all who sail in him the best of luck ...

I shall have to look Terence Hawkes up - he sounds a sensible man.

Roger

-- 
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"Shakespeare is dust!"