Jon,
I totally agree. Its very wimpishness as a consumer commodity and refusal
to sell anything gives it a subversion power. It also knocks the spots of
any poetry that tries to be didactic. Didactic poetry misses the point,
misses the boat, misses the subversion and therefore misses the whole eerie
beauty of 'uselessness'.
G.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Clay <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 01:47
Subject: Re: Alisons Poem
>I think I may have something to this effct before, but I'm of the opinion
>that sometimes at least one of the purposes of poetry, and art in general,
>is to be "useless" as one kind of resistance to the instrumental
rationality
>that characterises all forms of captialism, including state and fascist
>capitalism. And uselessness would include not "making sense". It's quite an
>important thing to say in the not-saying about How The World Is.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Jon
>
>
>>While writing this poem, I had a very strong desire not to make
>>"sense" of it: quite suddenly I feel trammelled by the surrounding
>>imperatives for Important Poetry which says Important Things about
>>How The World Is. Not that I think this particular poem is not born
>>out of what is happening worldwise as well as inwardly; but there are
>>many kinds of censorship, and self censorship not the least.
>>
>>Best
>>
>>Alison
>>--
>>
>>
>>Alison Croggon
>>
>>Home page
>>http://users.bigpond.com/acroggon/
>>Masthead
>>http://au.geocities.com/masthead_2/
>
>
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