[New-Poetry] Re: Re: with thanks to Crisman

[Crisman Cooley]

First of all: Barry, it is splendid that you are still on this list.

And: Bob, thanks for initially agreeing to play the little game I  
devised -- it is sporting of you.

It isn't exactly clear whether it is the game or your remark that you  
believe reduces to "I disagree with you because..." -- As usual I  
seem to have waited until it no longer matters -- but, assuming you  
meant the former, then I must tell you that you've misinterpreted the  
spirit of the thing.  In fact, I haven't made up my mind about  
Tranströmer, and do not agree or disagree with anything said about  
him.  I seem to have as little exposure to him as you have.  I take  
ignorance as a precondition-- but I don't consciously either tolerate  
it (except to the extent that mortality sets boundaries on how much I  
can learn) or substitute superstition for it (since that would  
transform it consciously into stupidity), and that was why I thought  
it would be interesting for both of us to play the game.  One huge  
impediment is that I cannot speak Swedish.  How much of a poem is  
translatable seems to vary by poem and poet, but not having the  
original sound or native sense, it is impossible to tell how much has  
come across.


> Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 15:15:25 -0500
> From: "Bob Grumman" <bobgrumman at nut-n-but.net>
> Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Re: with thanks to Crisman
>
>>
>> The CrisMan wrote:
>>
>>>  The question "What's this guy do
>>> that's special?" must be changed subtly to "What is my esthetic
>>> reaction to what these translators say this guy does?"
>>
>> My reaction to this rule: "ah." Muscles unclench. Somebody's
>> got my back. Crismas approacheth, images of Jesus and Rudolph
>> rampant...but what is it these guys do that's special?
>>
>> love to almost-all from a devoted lurker,
>>
>> Barry
>
> I wonder if the Chrisman will challenge you to a game for making an  
> offhand
> remark (one that reduces to "I agree with you") like the one he's  
> challenged
> me to for a similarly offhand one (that reduced to "I disagree with  
> you
> because it doesn't seem to me the guy is doing anything special").
> Interestingly, no one has mentioned anything the guy is doing that's
> special.
>
> Anyway, I'm sure dozens have your back on this one, Barry.  It's  
> possible
> that no one has mine.  Why do I find that pleasant to think about?
>
> Merry Christmas to you, too.
>
> --Bob G.
>