[New-Poetry] Simic's laurelled tenure

[Bob Grumman]

Chris Lott wrote:
> On 9/1/07, Bob Grumman <bobgrumman at nut-n-but.net> wrote:
>   
>>  The bigger half of what I was saying is that Simic's tenure may be one that
>> he considers "laissezfaire eclecticism," but it won't come close to making
>> people aware of any poetry not from Wilshberia--i.e., won't be close to
>> genuine laissezfaire eclecticism."
>>     
>
> On the other hand, since Simic at least leans a little towards the end
> of a spectrum you seem to be on, shouldn't you be thankful that it was
> Simic and not another Kooser? I ask that despite being surprised that
> anyone thinks Simic would be particularly difficult for the general
> poetry reading public to get into. Assuming there is a general
> population that can be called that, I don't think Simic will be much
> of a problem.
>
> Of course the bigger issue with the whole idea of being "eclectic" is
> that it's subjective and-- as I think you demonstrate-- an idea easily
> lost in the no true Scotsman fallacy.
>
> c
I would define "eclectic" in this case very simply: "showing interest in 
(and promoting) all of the following kinds of poetry."  Then I would 
list all the kinds, making use of my list of schools of poetry that no 
one seems to consider of any value but I.  I would include formal 
poetry, standard freeverse of the kind I call Iowa plaintext lyric 
poetry and other kinds, standard jump-cut like Ashbery's and others', 
New York school, contragenteel (or neoBukowski) poetry.  All these Simic 
may well show interest in and promote.  I tend to think that wouldn't be 
better than pushing only one of them because it makes it seem that these 
poetries represent some kind of complete range of contemporary poetry 
instead of representing only the complete range of poetry practiced by 
academics.  For my list would also include visual poetry, sound poetry, 
mathematical poetry, cyber poetry, various forms of language poetry, and 
no doubt one or two other kinds of poetry I've overlooked.

--Bob
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/pipermail/new-poetry/attachments/20070902/8800160c/attachment.html