Comprende, Granpapa Patrice. Yeah, I do know about the survivor poets and
have a great respect for what they do, REMIT here, similarly, helps a lot of
people with, um, issues by encouraging them to find creative outlets. In our
young Ami's case (spelt Umi) it's a bit different as she's not artistically
inclined at all BUT her energies go into helping others (this is part of the
terrible bitterness of this all) - she works as a support worker at a
Lesbian and Gay Centre and also at a Women's Refuge.
She forgot about her own problems while being focussed on those of others.
She's out now but she's not the full ticket|: last night she was with us but
decided she was going home about 6.45. At 10.30-ish we came across her:
she'd been wandering around town alone all night. Needless to say we made
sure she did get back this time (after a restorative pint of Guiness - her
tipple)
Apart from other things I have a personal take on this as what, apart from
circumstances of life, had thrown her over the edge was fluoxetine (aka
prozac) which an idiot GP had been prescribing her - I know all too well
what that stuff can do to your head as I was, until recently, on it, and am
grimly aware of the personality disorders it can engender. Fortunately she
used it to try to kill herself, I am sure you will notice the irony in
'fortunately' there, as it is very hard to succesfully OD on it: it just
makes you very poorly instead.
Liking art again here, although I think it is justifiable to get angry with
it at times.
All the Best
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Mc Manus" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 8:20 AM
Subject: Re: People as a broken objects reassembled:
> Hi Dave very interested here -been down that road -what about the role of
> poetry in getting to grips with things -do you know survivor poets ( I
used
> to be more involved) -writing performance-workshops publishing
supporting
> each other etc etc and even after all this time find them ok (of course
they
> have strops) being run mainly by us'users'
> Bests for new year
> Radio just talking about real life/ art via P K Dick now he was a mess
> lovely writer for this old bloke
> P survivor poet P
>
> -----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: 18 December 2005 22:28
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: People as a broken objects reassembled:
>
> > Art vs Real Life? Isn't that a fake binary? I don't see one obscures the
> > other; I can see how each might inform and enrich and vitalise each
other.
>
>
> Dear Alison
>
> I am not being aggressive here, but I cannot see how or what sort of
> sub-Leavisite cliches like 'inform and enrich and vitalise' can apply. I
> don't think they'd be of much comfort (earlier this year my Vixen tried
> doing a stint as a hospital visitor - she found herself talking to people
> almost on the point of death, who were at times in tears, she couldn't
> handle it, as she just broke down too - what can you say? Maybe nothing.)
>
> I really can't imagine if we went up to the mental hospital and told Umi
> that poetry was there for her to 'inform and enrich and vitalise' that it
> would hold much cachet for her.
>
> Sorry, but all the best
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alison Croggon" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 10:12 PM
> Subject: Re: People as a broken objects reassembled:
>
>
> > On 19/12/05 9:03 AM, "David Bircumshaw" <[log in to unmask]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > The point of posting this is that at times one realises just what a
load
> of
> > > hot air poetry, and even more so, discussions about poetry can be. I
> hope
> > > this doesn't come across as cynical.
> >
> > Art vs Real Life? Isn't that a fake binary? I don't see one obscures the
> > other; I can see how each might inform and enrich and vitalise each
other.
> >
> > Discussions about anything can be a load of hot air; I can't see how the
> > human passions and desires and fragilities that they express are not,
> > however, part of life.
> >
> > Best
> >
> > A
> >
> >
> > Alison Croggon
> >
> > Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
> > Editor, Masthead: http://masthead.net.au
> > Home page: http://alisoncroggon.com
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