[New-Poetry] Alexander's text

[James Cervantes]

On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 8:45 AM, Judy Prince
<jbalizsprince at googlemail.com>wrote:

> 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.
>

To "egosturbate" is close "pontificate," huh?


>  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?
>

No quite sure what the goal is, but I've been at co-operative activity in
the name of poetry for almost 40 years as editor, as coordinator or director
of festivals and programs, and can't help but think I've done *something*
for "someone" or some thing - even in unfocused moments.

As an editor, I would never accept Alexander's poem for publication.  Just
my taste, I suppose.


-- Jim

"Polish doesn't change quartz into a diamond."
                               -Wilma Askinas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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