[New-Poetry] Alexander's text

[Judy Prince]

I think we all came up with a lot of 'buts', Jim, but the fact is that the
poem wasn't up to anyone's standards for a Good Poem in any circumstance,
let alone such a one as the Inauguration.  We can 'but' all about the poet's
C.V., 'creds', previous poems, or what she might've done, 'til the
proverbial cows come home.  We can imagine who in the world really chose
her, and why; we can wonder if she herself thinks her Inauguration poem is
good; we can wish her Poetry Growth and lotsa book sales; we can hope that
billions of folk don't begin imitating her style; we can assume that few
people will remember anything of the poem.  But we are responsible for her
having been chosen, finally.
We are poets!  We may squabble forever about what poetry really is and which
are the best techniques, but we damned well better be sure that those
beauties of poetry living so strong inside us are known and shown to the
many folk who draw us to them in their need for the beauties.  Whatever else
is the purpose of a list such as this?  Ego-sturbating?  Yeah, undoubtedly.
 Climbing the Poet Popularity Pole?  Yeah, same.  Is that it, then?  No,
indeed.  We'll have to come up with more than we have, and it looks, duh, as
if it will require some focused thought and co-operative activity.  Any
suggestions?

Best or forget the rest,

Judy





2009/1/21 James Cervantes <cervantes.james at gmail.com>

> Not to mention that "thorn and din" is such a clunker.  But, my hat goes
> off to anyone who will/can write for an occasion.
> - Jim
>
> 2009/1/21 Bob Grumman <bobgrumman at nut-n-but.net>
>
>>
>>
>> All about us is noise. All about us is
>> noise and bramble, thorn and din, each
>> one of our ancestors on our tongues.
>>
>>   I liked this stanza though the last line is a bit forced in its attempt
>> to highlight the glories of multiculturalism.  Hey, I could go farther: I
>> have "every/ one of EVERYbody's ancestors on my tongue."  Really, our
>> tongues are from our ancestors but what's on them isn't necessarily.
>>
>>  Someone is stitching up a hem, darning
>> a hole in a uniform, patching a tire,
>> repairing the things in need of repair.
>>
>> This made me think of politicians who
>>
>> repair things into need of repair.
>>
>> --Bob G.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> New-Poetry mailing list
>> New-Poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
>> http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/new-poetry
>>
>>
>
>
> /
>
> _______________________________________________
> New-Poetry mailing list
> New-Poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
> http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/new-poetry
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/pipermail/new-poetry/attachments/20090121/5ff80ea2/attachment.html