Lawrence,
I'm a fan of Lissa's poetry, so we're on the same side there. But it
seems to me (having now observed you for some time on list) that
you constantly roll out this "lack of evidence" argument to dismiss
and humiliate any opinion you don't like. This would be OK if you
followed up by *offering evidence of your own* to counter the lack of
evidence you perceive, but you never seem to do this. So I am
challenging you, since you seem so upset at Andrew Rathmann,
who in my estimation did nothing wrong, since "assertion," in
poetry and its criticism, unsubstantiated or not, is, at least when
intelligently and provocatively framed, as Andrew Rathmann's
assertions certainly were, *always* an opportunity for counter-
assertions, be they unsubstantiated or not. (You may want to read
that sentence again-- it has a lot of commas.)
In other words, I am challenging you, here on Poetryetc, to do what
you seem to want others to do for you and for us all: That you offer
assertions with evidence. Back up your indignation. We know you
know all about rhetoric and argumentation and Roberts Rules of
Order. Speak now about Lissa Wolsak's poetry and show us what
real evidence is.
By the way, I have an interview with Lissa Wolsak in the current
issue of VeRT at http://www.litvert.com should anyone like to see
that.
Kent
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