[New-Poetry] Re: optimistic poems

[Skip Fox]

Whitman would be the obvious choice (_Song of Myself_). Sandburg on the
resilient progression of the lower classes (_The People, Yes_). Marianne
Moore on the Allied sacrifice in WWII ("In Distrust of Merits," "'Keeping
Their World Large," "We Call Them Brave," though the last is problematic),
and Hilda Doolittle on defying the Nazi aggression ("These Walls Shall Not
Fall" in her _Trilogy_).

I'd certainly not turn him onto the likes of Ella Wheeler Wilcox or even
Longfellow.

It's easy to see some poems by poets like Hart Crane, Robert Duncan, Ted
Berrigan, Richard Brautigan, and Gary Snyder as optimistic (and even some
good ones by Emily Dickinson), but not in the social historical sense of the
query.

-----Original Message-----
From: new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu
[mailto:new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu] On Behalf Of Barry Spacks
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 1:32 PM
To: new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
Subject: [New-Poetry] Re: optimistic poems


Had the following post from a local sculptor today --
any suggestions available for him in his search for
optimistic poems?

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

  I am working on a project and would love some references for poetry  
on shaping
the future.  It is important that the poetry or prose focuses on our  
ability to change
things for the better. Any help or recommendations would be much  
appreciated.

Thanks for anything you can supply (optimism lately in short supply),

optimistically,

Barry

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