Whoops. I step back, Mairead. I see now David's graciously accepted your offer.
Kindly disregard my previous email with my apologies.
- Frank

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Poetryetc provides a venue for a dialogue relating to poetry and
>poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Mairead Byrne
>Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 11:05 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Reznikoff: Dave!
>
>
>The principal problem with Reznikoff is that his work is not readily
>available. I maintain that it could be hugely popular if marketed as such.
>Overflowing the poetry bucket. Dave, if I can lay hold of a copy or two
>(with my slippery bucks), I'll send them to you, if you send me your address.
>Know thou that I will be travelling for 3 weeks so expect no packages soon.
>Mairead
>
>On Mon, 8 Jul 2002, Frank Parker wrote:
>
>> Hi David,
>>
>> I admire your candor, and certainly there is no requirement that any
>of us "must"
>> like a certain poet's work. Lord knows, there are "famous" poets, competent in
>> their craft, I don't give a damn about no matter how many laurels
>placed at their
>> door, they just don't "flip my skirt".
>>
>> On the other hand, the objections you have with Reznikoff are some of
>the reasons
>> I enjoy his work. His poetry is closer to the rhythms and lyricism of plain
>> speech, a reaction against the artifices of poetry prior and up to his
>times. As
>> Michael Heller pointed out so well:
>>
>> "shorn of entertainment value, of sentiment....Thus in commanding
>response but not
>> dictating it, Reznikoff manages to give both good and bad conscience their
>> due. This, of course, is modernity with a vengeance."
>>
>> Taken alone, a section in a series may seem void of energy. However,
>in context,
>> what seemed inadequate assists and is assisted by the other parts, sections,
>> poems. That notion, shared by George Oppen, has informed my own work (which you
>> may or may not care for:) That idea was new to poetry then and, I think, little
>> appreciated today, the poem as "thing", not precious announcement.
>>
>> For me, Reznikoff's subtle sense of the lyric is at once difficult to
>achieve and
>> beautiful in it's simplicity. His work does not shout but speaks, is
>grounded in
>> the ordinary, bears witness. No high wire act but an act that lifts the
>> possibility of vision. I've seen you do as much in your own work at times.
>>
>> I read Reznikoff as a whole, a body of work, a testament. Perhaps that's the
>> difference of our reading? I don't place any demand upon him to be other than
>> Reznikoff. It is a way of writing, not the only way, but a way of writing that
>> more often grounds me.
>>
>> Forgive my inability, David, to make a real intellectual defense or
>explaination
>> here other than sounding like some kind of fan. At my best I can say
>"I like it",
>> which satisfies nothing, I know. That which informs me may have no
>meaning for you
>> and that's fair enough.
>>
>> Best to you,
>> Frank
>>
>> *******************
>> Frank Parker
>> [log in to unmask]
>> http://now.at/frankshome
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: Poetryetc provides a venue for a dialogue relating to poetry and
>> >poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of david.bircumshaw
>> >Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 5:05 AM
>> >To: [log in to unmask]
>> >Subject: Re: Reznikoff
>> >
>> >
>> >Hello Christopher
>> >
>> >I've been having a look at the website Mairead mentioned and have seen some
>> >of those excerpts. Now I'd emphasise again that it might well be that I have
>> >a blind-spot about Reznikoff's style but though I approve of his intentions
>> >for the most part his work doesn't seem to excite me as poetry. I might
>> >agree with what he's saying but I'm not stirred by the how of it.
>> >
>> >You make a point about tonal shifts but it's the seeming absence of such
>> >that strikes me. I'm rather reminded of Queen Victoria's complaint about
>> >Gladstone, that he addressed her as if she was a public meeting, and too
>> >Reznikoff's grounding in law, his poems seem to addressing a crowd all the
>> >time, I don't hear an inner voice.
>> >
>> >Anyhow, I might be completely wrong about this but one has to be honest.
>> >
>> >Best
>> >
>> >Dave
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >David Bircumshaw
>> >
>> >Leicester, England
>> >
>> >Home Page
>> >
>> >A Chide's Alphabet
>> >
>> >Painting Without Numbers
>> >
>> >http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/index.htm
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Christopher Walker" <[log in to unmask]>
>> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> >Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 12:22 PM
>> >Subject: Reznikoff
>> >
>> >
>> ><snip>
>> > how much blood and ashes of precious things
>> > to manure so rare and brief a growth
>> >
>> >I'm sure it's well-intentioned but there is the telling and absolute
>> >disaster at the passage's one attempt at linguistic novelty - 'to manure'.
>> >Oh dear. [DB]
>> ><snip>
>> >
>> >But isn't it 'ashes' that's the fulcrum here, not 'manure', the trope being
>> >on 'blood and bone'?
>> >
>> >The text is an excerpt from *Brief History*, which is Part II of *New
>> >Nation* (itself published in 1936 as No 11 of *Separate Way*), and marks a
>> >tonal shift:
>> >
>> > Wrongs,
>> > like molecules of gas that seep into a house,
>> > explode
>> > in particles of fire!
>> > A captain gallops down the street,
>> > wheels,
>> > and the hoof of his horse
>> > sends the pie plates shining in the sun;
>> > the horse stops
>> > at what is
>> > flowing from the battlefield,
>> > sniffs at it, and will not cross:
>> > this is not water -
>> > it is blood
>> > in a thick and ropy stream.
>> > [...]
>> > On the lawn the Negroes dance
>> > and clap their hands,
>> > So glad! so glad!
>> > Bless the Lord for freedom!
>> > So glad! so glad!
>> >
>> > Do not mourn the dandelions...
>> > [etc]
>> >
>> >As to 'generalised nature imagery', the dandelion had appeared a few pages
>> >before, in No 3 of *Separate Way*, originally called *Insignificance*:
>> >
>> > I will write songs against you,
>> > enemies of my people; I will pelt you
>> > with the winged seeds of the dandelion;
>> > I will marshal against you
>> > the fireflies of the dusk
>> >
>> >CW
>> >
>>
>