Too, where are the headwaters of this urge to censorship? Seems as though
the poem, intentionally and unintentionally (especially on many members of
this and other lists), insists on probing the underlying character of
people, of us all considered more generally. While there is some animus of
racism, of anti-Semitism -- and of outright violence -- in the poem...the
aim seems rather the presentation of motives and character -- of us all. Is
this where the "need" to shut him up comes from?
Gerald Schwartz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank Parker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 12:26 PM
Subject: Re: The Baraka poem
> >So, as poetry, history, politics, it's rotten, no?
> >
> >Sam
>
> You made many great points, Sam. The issue in New Jersey is, should a poet
be
> fired for writing bad verse? While I hold a view similar to your own
regarding the
> poem itself, many artists are startled by the censorship the Governor of
New
> Jersey is trying to exercise.
>
> All I would interject regarding your assessment is Amiri Baraka (formerly
Leroy
> Jones) is one of the few remaining poets from the Beat/New York School
which
> explains much about the structure of the poem. (For what it's worth and
you may
> already know. My apologies if I'm being presumptuous.)
>
> Best to you,
> Frank
>
> **************************
> Frank Parker
> [log in to unmask]
> http://users.montereyisp.com/frank
>
>
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Poetryetc provides a venue for a dialogue relating to poetry and
> >poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Sam Brenton
> >Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 2:36 AM
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: The Baraka poem
> >
> >
> >The poem reads to me as politically stupid, and poetically boring.
> >
> >The Left does not need jokers like him speaking on poverty, race and
> >imperialism. His lumping together of events and countries and histories
> >and conspiracy theories is idiotically simplifying. Such that the one
> >available answer to the poem's question 'WHO?' is: 'The White Man'. So,
> >'Don't trust whitey'. Is that how we need to think, with so much tilting
> >precariously over the chasm?
> >
> >He's defended himself against charges of anti-semitism in the poem.
Well,
> >if it's not an anti-semitic expression, then it sure reads like it, and
the
> >poet has shown little skill in handling his argument if we may be so
easily
> >mislead. In fact, it looks anti-white across the board. Also
> >old-fashioned, stepping back to the Beats and to a kind of list poem that
> >is now a tired convention. Less a forceful tirade, more Ginsberg on a
bad
> >day without his humanity and gentle vulnerability.
> >
> >If you're going to write a poem which is thunderingly didactic, and
leaves
> >no room for the reader to do anything or go anywhere within, that you
have
> >to be hard, clear, precise with your message. The enemy here is the big
> >'THEM' that also marked Giinsberg at his sloppiest. (It's the
capitalists,
> >the men, the whites, the democrats/republicans, the doctors wot did it).
> >
> >So, as poetry, history, politics, it's rotten, no?
> >
> >Sam
> >
> >
> >At 07:30 11/10/2002, you wrote:
> >>You can post the site...or the poem itself. Already widely so done.
> >>Would greatly enjoy what listees here have to say. Big huff here.
> >>
> >>Gerald
> >>----- Original Message -----
> >>From: "Douglas Clark" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >>Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 1:54 AM
> >>Subject: The Baraka poem
> >>
> >>
> >> > I have snatched it off the rap newsgroup and it is
> >> > worth reading. It has his copyright on it. I dont
> >> > know if it will be ok for me to post it here.
> >> > Somebody please let me know.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Douglas Clark, Bath, England mailto: [log in to unmask]
> >> > Lynx: Poetry from Bath ..........
> >>http://www.bath.ac.uk/~exxdgdc/lynx.html
> >> >
> >> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Sam Brenton, Educational Technologist
> >Educational and Staff Development
> >Queen Mary, University of London
> >Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS
> >Tel: 020 7882 5309
> >Fax: 020 7882 3159
> >http://www.admin.qmul.ac.uk/esd/ltech
> >
>
>
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