[New-Poetry] Alexander's text

[Skip Fox]

To be honest, the poem read significantly better with the line breaks.  But
even gauging the need for simplicity and directness in order to fit the
occasion's celebration of inception and inclusiveness, I feel it is much
more of a historical (not historic) document than an artistic one. 

 

Some might say it would be useful in secondary schools, and it might, but I
feel giving them good poetry that's accessible and inclusive (Sandburg, L.
Hughes) would be far better. (Though I even saw Robert Service useful at
secondary level. It's like Whitman said of poor reading material, it might
be of limited service just in getting people literate.  But I feel that can
be done much better and with far greater delight and insight with accessible
writers like Twain, Masters, cummings, Jeffers, . . . hell, even Ogden
Nash.)

 

Alexander's poem is much like many pieces that are published all the time so
it was not an embarrassment for her. I might be a snot, but I think that's a
good thing.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu
[mailto:new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu] On Behalf Of Judy Prince
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 1:15 PM
To: NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News &amp,Views
Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Alexander's text

 

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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Salt River Review: http://www.poetserv.org
http://www.hamiltonstone.org/catalog.html#temporarymeaning
http://www.fieralingue.it/documenti/mr_bondo.pdf
http://www.poetserv.org/jvc/home/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescervantes/


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