[New-Poetry] Bishop's drafts cause uproar

[JforJames at aol.com]

Reading the publisher's note at the beginning of the
Complete Poems published in 1983, it's clear they dug a few
poems out of journals and worked over some poems
left in typescript. Plus 'student era poetry' was published 
with the mature work. (I'm not sure if that material
appeared in the prior Complete edition, 1969, appearing
a decade before Bishop died.) Anyway, I guess my point is
that the Complete itself is not nearly the pure, mature,
self-selected Bishop, that Vendler seems to make
it out to be. It too has poems Bishop may not have
authorized including while she had a say in the matter.
 
According the review in Slate, there was at least one poem 
Bishop may have held back from publishing due to the overt 
lesbian nature of the material. But there is no reason now 
that such a poem shouldn't be more known.
 
I know Frank Bidart was involved in the putting together
the posthumous Complete. I wonder if he's expressed any
concerns or reservations over this new various and sundry
collection?
Finnegan
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