[New-Poetry] My Blog Entry for Today

Bob Grumman bobgrumman at nut-n-but.net
Mon Nov 6 18:49:01 EST 2006


It's one of my American Book Review pieces, a discussion at http://comprepoetica.com/newblog/Index.html of poetry and the Internet with a focus on Duration, a huge poetry website.  I'd very much appreciate feedback concerning either its ideas or effectiveness as an essay.

--Bob G.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: d.kellogg at neu.edu 
  To: new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu 
  Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 12:50 PM
  Subject: [New-Poetry] Why Bly



  Does anybody remember the McGrath poem called something like "Driving North Through Minnesota I Run Across one of Robert Bly's Poems?" It's one of the great parodies of Bly's excesses (and they are many), but it's kindly done, I think.   

  David Kellogg
  Director, Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
  Department of English
  465 Holmes Hall
  Northeastern University
  Boston, MA 02115 


        new-poetry-request at wiz.cath.vt.edu 
        Sent by: new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu 
        11/05/2006 12:00 PM Please respond to
              new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu 


       To new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu  
              cc  
              Subject New-Poetry Digest, Vol 29, Issue 5 

              

       



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  Today's Topics:

    1. Re: Re: New-Poetry Digest, Vol 28, Issue 25 (Anny Ballardini)
    2. Why Bly  (David Graham)
    3. Re: Why Bly  (JforJames at aol.com)
    4. Mystery unearthed in poet's front yard (JforJames at aol.com)
    5. Re: Why Bly  (Helen Ruggieri)
    6. Why Bly (David Graham)


  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  Message: 1
  Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 18:58:49 +0100
  From: "Anny Ballardini" <anny.ballardini at tin.it>
  Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Re: New-Poetry Digest, Vol 28, Issue 25
  To: "New Poetry" <new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
  Message-ID: <006001c7003a$e1977090$d5a83252 at ANNY>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

  Lovely response...
  Said this way I am with you in cruising around Hal's books...

  If you want to cry, I did, see Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes
  otherwise I dearly recommend much of what you can find by Calvino
  I recopied the collected work by Montale, it would be hard to read through with my writing
  Savinio DeChirico, the brother of DeChirico, worte a book I have here in Italian: Home: Life
  and I think it was Witold Gombrowicz who wrote Pornography, a book I thought was excellent

  I can't remember whom to thank but I have here, today with my mail:
  Derek Attridge's Poetic Rhythm 
  and guess guess:
  The BEWER'S DICTIONARY OF PHRASE AND FABLE

  that arrived wrapped up in paper, then in plastic then in polysterene and finally in a big white box! Jeex
  Much more practical and less expensive Powell's, Attridge was sent in a neatly sealed big sort of cardboard envelope, professional and clean.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
   From: David Baratier 
   To: Anny Ballardini ; new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu 
   Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 5:24 PM
   Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Re: New-Poetry Digest, Vol 28, Issue 25


   Hi Anny--

   Sorry for the delay, been sick. Hey, no problem, I was hoping my response would generate some obscure reading material for the cold winter ahead, a comprehensive list, not a book suggested here and there that I have already read. And I have heard that Halvard might be such a person who would have read such texts but that might have been pure fantasy. I guess I will have to write more the next month to have something to read during this harsh Ohio winter.


   Anny Ballardini <anny.ballardini at tin.it> wrote:
     thit thot thot,
     I like Halvard Johnson's playering ___ what's the problem?



   Be well

   David Baratier, Editor

   Pavement Saw Press
   PO Box 6291
   Columbus, OH 43206
   http://pavementsaw.org
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  Message: 2
  Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 15:05:13 -0600
  From: David Graham <grahamd at ripon.edu>
  Subject: [New-Poetry] Why Bly 
  To: "NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News &amp;                 Views"
                  <new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
  Message-ID: <5A2A55EB-46A7-4711-8E0F-1930ADCFFF72 at ripon.edu>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


  On Nov 3, 2006, at 11:28 AM, Helen Ruggieri wrote:

  > I'll second Writing the Australian Crawl and add in (why do people  
  > dislike him these days)
  > Robert Bly's News of the Universe.
  ============

  Oh, people have *always* disliked Robert Bly!  Probably goes back to  
  the 1950s, and his journal of that name, in which he fairly  
  mercilessly skewered many famous poets.  And then his long-time habit  
  of doing readings for creative writing programs while ridiculing such  
  programs incessantly.  (And failing to mention his own M.F.A.)

  But there are many other reasons, including some fairly silly  
  pronouncements over the years, some dubious liberties taken in  
  translations, and (of course) his relatively recent status as best- 
  selling author.

  But I've always enjoyed Bly greatly, and think that his poetry is  
  getting even better as he ages.  I've taught *News of the Universe* a  
  number of times; while his literary and social history sometimes  
  needs to be taken with a grain of salt, his taste in poetry is really  
  fine.  Whatever you think of his own poetry, I'd say he's a brilliant  
  editor.  His editions of William Stafford and David Ignatow, for  
  instance--they each do a masterful job of separating wheat from chaff.



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



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  Message: 3
  Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 19:41:37 EST
  From: JforJames at aol.com
  Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Why Bly 
  To: new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
  Message-ID: <bdc.657af40.327e8d41 at aol.com>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


  In a message dated 11/4/2006 4:03:58 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
  grahamd at ripon.edu writes:

  I've  taught *News of the Universe* a number of times; while his literary and 
  social  history sometimes needs to be taken with a grain of salt, his taste 
  in poetry  is really fine


  Yes, I think Bly, with books like this and others, was largely  responsible
  for increasing interest in poetry in translation. However liberal his  own
  translations were, I think many international (panhistoriic) poets  were
  first introduced to US readers by Bly. And those translations/poets changed  
  contemporary US poetry during the 70s and 80s especially.

  His readings were often more like one-man shows (bazooki in  hand) 
  and I found him a captivating character. I learned a lot from him...not  
  something I can say about many other poets who I have heard read.

  Another book/essay  that I htink has held up well is "Leaping Poetry."  
  Probably one of the better explanation of the ineffable powers  of lyric poetry 
  that I've seen.
  Finnegan
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  Message: 4
  Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 19:43:40 EST
  From: JforJames at aol.com
  Subject: [New-Poetry] Mystery unearthed in poet's front yard
  To: new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
  Message-ID: <51d.a212805.327e8dbc at aol.com>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

  _http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_4600264_ 
  (http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_4600264) 

  Mystery unearthed in poet's front yard
  By Adam Gorlick / Associated  Press
  Article Launched:11/04/2006 12:00:00 AM MST


  AMHERST, Mass. -- For Emily Dickinson, death was never very far from  the 
  imagination. The topic fueled her writing, making for some of the most  memorable 
  lyrics in American poetry.
  Now, death is posinga puzzle for the  caretakers of her homestead.

  While making improvements to the grounds of the Emily Dickinson Museum on  
  Halloween, workers unearthed the gravestone of one of the poet's  relatives.

  But what Gen. Thomas Gilbert's headstone was doing under 18 inches of dirt  
  in Dickinson's front yard has some experts  stumped

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  Message: 5
  Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 10:12:14 -0500
  From: "Helen Ruggieri" <hruggier at localnet.com>
  Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Why Bly 
  To: "NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News &amp;                 Views"
                  <new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
  Message-ID: <005801c700ec$c7711fb0$750a9942 at Helen>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

  He also had an essay called A Wrong Turning in American Poetry which was a really interesting take on 
  mid-century poetry. 
   ----- Original Message ----- 
   From: JforJames at aol.com 
   To: new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu 
   Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 7:41 PM
   Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Why Bly 


   In a message dated 11/4/2006 4:03:58 PM Eastern Standard Time, grahamd at ripon.edu writes:
     I've taught *News of the Universe* a number of times; while his literary and social history sometimes needs to be taken with a grain of salt, his taste in poetry is really fine
   Yes, I think Bly, with books like this and others, was largely responsible
   for increasing interest in poetry in translation. However liberal his own
   translations were, I think many international (panhistoriic) poets were
   first introduced to US readers by Bly. And those translations/poets changed contemporary US poetry during the 70s and 80s especially.

   His readings were often more like one-man shows (bazooki in hand) 
   and I found him a captivating character. I learned a lot from him...not something I can say about many other poets who I have heard read.

   Another book/essay  that I htink has held up well is "Leaping Poetry." Probably one of the better explanation of the ineffable powers of lyric poetry that I've seen.
   Finnegan


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  Message: 6
  Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 10:50:52 -0600
  From: David Graham <grahamd at ripon.edu>
  Subject: [New-Poetry] Why Bly
  To: "NewPoetry &amp; Views" <new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
  Message-ID: <97B73D8D-09E6-4BA4-9BE4-6CB86A47A46B at ripon.edu>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

  The Scandal


  The day the minister ran off with the choir director
  The bindlestiffs felt some gaiety in their arms.
  Spike-pitchers threw their bundles higher on the load
  And the County Assessor drove with a tiny smile.

  Actually the minister's wife felt relieved that morning,
  Though afraid too. She walked out by the slough,
  And admired the beaver's house, partly above
  Water, partly beneath.  That seemed right.

  The minister felt dizzy as the two of them drove
  For hours: country music and the loose ribbon
  Mingled in his mind with the *Song of Songs*.
  They stopped at a small motel near Bismarck.

  For the threshers, the stubble was still dry,
  The oat dust itchy, the big belt needed grease,
  The loads pulled up to the machine.  This story happens
  Over and over, and it's a good story.

  --Robert Bly.  *Morning Poems*.  HarperCollins, 1997.


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



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