My position is similar to Anthony's, Matthew, in that I like, esteem even.,
the earlier Walcott poetry, I find it slightly 'literary' yet _distinct_,
but dissimilar in that I am turned off by the later work, including
'Omeros'. I prefer Aime Cesaire or Kamau Braithwaite. Or Jean Binta Breeze.
I don't though, have a copy of 'Omeros' to hand nor, regrettably, the time
which would be required for a detailed exposition of my responses to it,
which I know is a cop out, but it's an honest one, guv'nor. 'S trewth.
best
david b
----- Original Message -----
From: Anthony Lawrence <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 10:03 AM
Subject: Re: Walcott
> I was waiting too Matthew. I like a lot of Walcott's work.
> Omeros works for me (most of the time) because of the typically
> generous, often risky sentences, and the amazing sense of place
> that he's always been able to create. It's difficult to rhyme well.
> Sometimes he broadcasts the endwords. They become prescriptive
> rather than inventive. He's no Muldoon, and yet....
> I often return to the early work, to those fineboned lyrical
> poems and more narrative poems, where vernacular and intense imagery
> are aligned almost seamlessly.
>
> Anthony
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