[New-Poetry] Carruth on Originality

[David Graham]

Late Sonnet
 
For that the sonnet no doubt was my own true
singing and suchlike other song, for that
I gave it up half-coldheartedly to set
my lines in a fashion that proclaimed its virtue
original in young arrogant artificers who
had not my geniality nor voice, and yet
their fashionableness was persuasive to me,--what
shame and sorrow I pay!
                                              And that I knew
that beautiful hot old man Sidney Bechet
and heard his music often but not what he
was saying, that tone, phrasing, and free play
of feeling mean more than originality,
these being the actual qualities of song.
Nor is it essential to be young.
 
--Hayden Carruth.  Brothers, I Loved You All:  Poems 1969-1977.  Sheep
Meadow Press, 1978.



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David Graham
grahamd at ripon.edu
Home Page:
http://web.mac.com/drjazz/

Poetry Library:
http://web.mac.com/drjazz/iWeb/Site/DGPoLibrary.html
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