[New-Poetry] Re: 100 Poets You Should Know

[David Bircumshaw]

And a little more:

really, any such lists cry out for disagreement, alteration, doubt.

I could say, for example, that of the poets I tentatively hoisted previously that the ones who have written work that I markedly like, rather than respect, would strongly feature Edwin Morgan, Denise Riley, Anne Carson and in one volume alone Les Murray and in a few poems only John Tranter. And Bob Perelman can be brilliant. A poet who can be brilliant but leaves me (pace James on Conrad) with a 'rather disagreeable impression': Peter Reading.

A poet I like who is both well-known and marginal (and too US American!) from the list that began this thread:

Russell Edson. Although that again is in quite a small proportion of his oeuvre, read in bulk his mannerisms and dodges can be repetitive. And sometimes skimpy.

A deceased near-recent poet who wrote one volume I love: W.S.Graham ('Malcolm Mooney's Land', especially the title poem)

A hit-and-miss poet not well-known (although published by Carcanet) who can sometimes verge on 'greatness' (whatever that is): Michael Haslam.

And a loveable veteran (at least, I think he's still about) I forgot to mention: Charles Tomlinson (who was at one time quite well-received in the States)

Best

Dave



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