[New-Poetry] difficult poetry

[Robin Hamilton]

Roger mentions Donne, and writes:


> When did the difficulty debate start? Or has there always been this
> under-tow against some sorts of poetry?

Well, at least as fall back as the 16thC.  Ben Jonson (in the course of his 
drunken revelations to Drummond of Hawthorndon) alleged that for not being 
understood, John Donne would perish.

Generally, there was a populist objection to difficult poetry at the time --  
mostly against the metaphysicals, but beyond, as Jonson himself was accused 
of being gratuitously difficult on occasion.  The term of choice to slag-off 
difficult poetry then was to describe it as "strong lined".

Plus ca change ...

Robin