[New-Poetry] From My Blog Something Barry Probably Won't Like

[Bob Grumman]

Chris Lott wrote:
> On Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 4:04 AM, Bob Grumman <bobgrumman at nut-n-but.net> wrote:
>   
>>   I suppose you're just
>> stating your boilerplate that poems somehow transcend explanation in a way
>> that automobiles don't, which is where you and I have to agree to disagree.
>>
>>     
>
> The mechanics or the aesthetics? The mechanics of the automobile don't
> transcend explanation,
Sure they do.  There's such a thing as quantum mechanics, you know.  I 
think even you might agree that the aesthetics of poems can be as well 
explained as the mechanics of an automobile.  That is, one can say about 
a simple formal poem that it scans and rhymes (which are known 
quantities and behave to make the poem go the way gas and spark make a 
car go though no one can say, finally, just how in a way that will 
satisfy those refusing to let go of a belief in magic).  One can mention 
all sorts of standard devices in a poem and even say why they work or 
why they don't. 

Don't know enough about cars, or have my own notion of poetry well 
enough in hand, to go on, Chris.  I hope you at least have an idea of my 
point here and can agree somewhat with it.  I would say the aesthetics 
AND science of anything is beyond FULL explanation but not beyond 
sufficient explanation, because words are beyond full definition, but 
not beyond sufficient definition (definition, that is, sufficient to 
allow people to tell some X from all that is not X).

--Bob

> but the aesthetics surely do, just as the
> aesthetics of poetry continue to prove to be beyond explanation... as
> evidenced by the way the conversation goes on (and on, and on, and on)
> here. If there's an explanation, no one seems to know it or be able to
> share it...
>
> c
>
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