Some thoughts that come to mind on this topic
1:Is there not a relationship of the epic to a mythos of time and
place,be that Troy, Rome or Milton's Paradise? Does the Modern long
poem's investigation of that mythos reinvent or replace a possiblity of
epic? Think of Olson's exploration of place in Maximus Poems or Edmond
Jabes commitment to the continuous work in his Book of Questions-seminal
long poems both, but are they epics in any meaningful sense other than
an adjective for their length (unlike Dorn's Gunslinger which does seem
to evoke an epic topos of journey, albeit comically-a great suggestion
by the way).
2:Can I propose Brian Coffey's Advent as a truly great long poem and a
place to reconsider epic? It mediates references to history (Irish
independance,Space Flight)with more personal (Christian) reflection, and
its achievement is to evoke a grandeur of scope and intent that might be
described as 'epic' but is by no means imperious or pompous. If there is
any sense in a contemporary epic poem as a working of collective memory,
then this poem rewards reading. It really puts Hill's Triumph of Love
in the shade, but that's another matter...
Hope this is interesting to some
regards
Jim Tink of Brighton, UK
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