Geraldine
Yes, some interesting things have emerged from the Blue Velvet Jacket, like
white rabbits, or links of noserag.
But my gripe was that instead of letting us follow the links, the thread
keeps getting pulled back to the BVJ.
I do go to readings - I mailed a shot about one to This Place only last
week. I am, even, against my doctor's orders, known to give them.
But, to dive into that, I certainly do not see performance as a sufficency,
given the world as is, the poem is an event in the snow place, the white
space of the page.
The 'personal' is an instable construct, too variable a support - hell, at
any given moment I can probably recall less than a mite of a percent of my
existence.
cheers
david
----- Original Message -----
From: Geraldine Monk <[log in to unmask]>
To: david.bircumshaw <[log in to unmask]>; brit poets
<[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2000 9:15 PM
Subject: Re: Bludaxe
> David,
> I think some rather interesting things have arisen out
> of the Black Velvet Jacket thread and a more careful
> reading would have had you defending not BVJ but
> dear old Peter Riley as it was really he who was taking
> the 'flak' But of course Peter is quite capable enough
> of taking care of himself - at least I hope so - you O.K.
> Peter?
> So why the accusations of 'extreme pettiness, little spites
> and backstabs'? To question or challenge is none of these
> things. The fact that the questions and challenges are not
> always wrapped up in pretty little word packaging or aca-lingo
> doesn't make them spiteful or petty. It's called plain speaking
> where I come from.
> N'ough said. But to continue thread at you wrath I was going
> to bring up in relation to the question the reading/performance
> of poetry.
> This is a situation where the personal cannot be bypassed.
> To read the poem on the page is a very different experience to
> hearing the poet's recorded voice or seeing the poet read. To trot
> out one of the most dynamic changes that can happen it to suddenly
> discover that a poem one has always read as a fairly serious affair
> is actually much lighter or amusing or whatever in the 'flesh' all
> because of the vocal nuances and physical gestures of the reader.
> Readings by the nature are personal.
> I was wondering how people like yourself and Alison approach
> the 'live' event where the personal is inescapable? Or do you
> simply not go to or give readings?
> Anyway oft tut pub. I shall try and resist a late night drunky reply,
> Best
> G.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: david.bircumshaw <[log in to unmask]>
> To: brit poets <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Friday, November 17, 2000 02:51
> Subject: Re: Bludaxe
>
>
> >This Full Velvet Jacket gig really is wearing out the strings.
> >
> >A friend of mine observed that given Prynne has only to date published
with
> >small presses, quite a good record for 30 years, surely ... and as if
poets
> >decide how a publisher is going to present them ... and who cares? Lots
> >easier than talking about whether it's possible to make a moral
> >language.....
> >
> >I agree with said friend. I find it sourly ironic that a debate that is
> >verging enticingly on questions of personal identity and authorship, and
> the
> >relationship between the contingent, extremely temporary critters, that
are
> >horrified by the bills in the morning post, who like the speaker of
'Borges
> >and I' are 'doomed - utterly and inevitably - to oblivion', and those
> >trans-personal entities that inhabit the poems, that one encounters
during,
> >in Henry's phrase, 'complete absorption in an imaginary world', is
instead
> >being constantly dragged back from escape velocity by the tug of what
seems
> >an extreme pettiness, into what sometimes looks like the little spites
and
> >backstabs of that ghastly notion 'the literary world'.
> >
> >I prefer Russian icons to Raphael, mediaeval lyrics to Hollywood retails
of
> >Auden, Delta Blues to Presley or the Stones.
> >
> >As for cults, well, we lost our authentic shrines over here under the
> >boy-prig king, Edward, did we not?
> >
> >db
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|