[New-Poetry] Alexander's text

[Anny Ballardini]

I think we can agree to disagree. I would have been scared to death by the
responsibility of not only writing the poem but of reading it in front of
all those people. I therefore, since I know my limits, think that Alexander
did a superb job and wrote a poem, in all humility, that everybody could
understand. This for me is class.


On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 7:03 PM, James Cervantes
<cervantes.james at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> 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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-- 
Anny Ballardini
http://annyballardini.blogspot.com/
http://www.fieralingue.it/modules.php?name=poetshome
http://www.moriapoetry.com/ebooks.html
I Tell You: One must still have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing
star!
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