[New-Poetry] Alexander's text

[Bob Grumman]

Skip Fox wrote:
>
> But Ashbery is accessibly so. You can talk about lack of determinacy 
> and confusions while noting so much in terms of shifting scenes, 
> tones, ambiguities squared, and then show them "Instruction Manual" 
> (and have /them/ point out the clichéd travelogue . . . because 
> someone always does if you start reading from it), and then his Ella 
> Wheeler Wilcox poem would have the students howling, esp. noting the 
> fact he put it in his Selected. (And then you can talk about jokes on 
> terrible poetry and you're back to Twain and E. Grangerford.)
>
>  
>
> Steven's "Sunday Morning" would be great as well. Some Jeffers because 
> of his beauty and the fact everyone likes to see someone darker than 
> themselves at their worst.
>
>  
>
> I'd do some Pound. Even parts of the Cantos.
>
>  
>
> Yesterday an entire class of undergrads (all Eng. majors, but some 
> told me previously of high anxiety approaching poetry, let alone 
> difficult poetry) all seemed not just to understand but really *dig* 
> Mina Loy's "Parturition."  A really great 40 mins. all round.
>
>  
>
> Bernadette Mayer, even. From /Midwinter's Day /maybe.
>
>  
>
> But then I remember the line, "It's easy to be a Romantic. Especially 
> if you don't mind the evidence."
>
So when yah gonna teach 'em some mathematical poetry, Skip?

Just kidding, mostly. 

Keep up the good work, Bob
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