[New-Poetry] from the Writer's Almanac

[Judy Prince]

Hi, Chris,
I keep wondering why it's such a well hidden secret that scansion depends
upon the scanner for the scanner's ear and eye and brain's response
to/interpretation of the poet's words?

Fiercesome battles have ensued about scansion and its supposed
only-one-way-of-reading authority.  Yes, of course I'm OTTing about it here,
and do welcome hearing others' views.  It's just that so few folk recognise
scansion's role as a wonderfully useful *variously-applied* medium.
Best,

Judy

2009/5/3 Chris Lott <chris at chrislott.org>

> I'm curious about this-- can our resident experts come to agreement on
> the scansion of Baer's poem? Or is the whole process really as
> arbitrary as it feels?
>
> c
>
> On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 9:43 AM, TheOldMole <Opus40-01 at opus40.org> wrote:
> > Your ear is probably better than mine. But how do you scan the second
> line?
> > Or the 6th without stressing the wrong syllables?
> >
> > Rsgwynn1 at cs.com wrote:
> >>
> >> In a message dated 4/29/2009 11:02:35 AM Central Daylight Time,
> >> Opus40-01 at opus40.org writes:
> >>>
> >>> Doesn't scan.
> >>>
> >>> Anny Ballardini wrote:
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >     Letter of Resignation
> >>> >
> >>> >by William Baer
> >>> ><
> http://www.elabs7.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=fj6,fw37,dv,gctn,8fn9,3hrs,fxvj>
> >>> >
> >>> >Dear [blank]: After much deliberation,
> >>> >without qualm, scruple, or further delay,
> >>> >I hereby tender my formal resignation
> >>> >as your lover and future fiancé.
> >>> >The job provides too little satisfaction:
> >>> >too many hours of unneeded duress,
> >>> >a paucity of productive interaction,
> >>> >uncertain working conditions, and endless stress.
> >>> >Pay-wise, I'm undervalued and disenchanted:
> >>> >advancement's slow, the bonus is routine,
> >>> >my "on-call" overtime is taken for granted,
> >>> >and benefits are few and far between.
> >>> >This document, I'm hopeful, underscores
> >>> >my deep regret. I'm very truly yours....
> >>> >
> >>> >"Letter of Resignation" by William Baer from /Bocage and Other
> >>> >Sonnets/. © Texas Review Press, 2008. Reprinted with permission. (buy
> >>> >now
> >>> ><
> http://www.elabs7.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=fj6,fw37,dv,8k38,fopj,3hrs,fxvj>)
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >--
> >>> >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!
> >>> >
> >>>
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>> >
> >>> >_______________________________________________
> >>> >New-Poetry mailing list
> >>> >New-Poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
> >>> >http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/new-poetry
> >>> >
> >>> --
> >>> Tad Richards
> >>> Read my NY Writing Careers Examiner column today!
> >>> http://www.examiner.com/x-2862-NY-Writing-Careers-Examiner
> >>>
> >>> http://www.opus40.org/tadrichards/
> >>> http://opusforty.blogspot.com/
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> New-Poetry mailing list
> >>> New-Poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
> >>> http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/new-poetry
> >>
> >>
> >> Scans pretty well for me, at least as well as a Donne sonnet.
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
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> >> New-Poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
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> >
> > --
> > Tad Richards
> > Read my NY Writing Careers Examiner column today!
> > http://www.examiner.com/x-2862-NY-Writing-Careers-Examiner
> >
> > http://www.opus40.org/tadrichards/
> > http://opusforty.blogspot.com/
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
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