[New-Poetry] Alexander's text

[Judy Prince]

Despite how it may read, Jim, my rant was not directed at Alexander or at
you.  I _know_ many on this and other poetry lists as well as those poets
not on lists who have brilliantly advanced poetry, and they've done it
without fanfare.
My rant may've been about the frustration of so often seeing poetry
sidelined, ignored, diminished, and ridiculed.  It seems particularly
important for USAmericans to re-place poetry as one of the essential arts.
 Thus, as with so many of you, I felt that a magnificent opportunity for
poetry yesterday was never opened.

Best,

Judy





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

>
>
> 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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