Those large questions from
>
> The Enigmatic Stone-Dwelling Mouse
>
feel too big for me to give much of an answer to, but I'd say that
'b;asphemous' poems are definitely 'religious,' but as I just said in
response to Liz's post of the Rothenberg translation, I suspect we tend
to think 'religious' refers to 'a' religion.' So I'd want to widen that
concept a bit. And suggest, as well, that 'spiritual' might cast an
even wider net, as that allows for such ways of encountering the world
as the Tao, etc. Or just a sense of more without placing it within any
belief system.
I do feel that a lot of so-called Christian poetry recently has just
been bad verse, & when we go back to even Greville, let alone Donne &
Herbert, we see what real passionate fait combined with real poetic
talent can do.
Most contemporary poets in Canada admire the work of Margaret Avison,
even when they don't share her faith; it's the poetry, stupid, or
something like that....
Clearly, from the great ages of faith, great poetry. And from the past.
when other systems of faith held sway. And from our present? Well,
there's a lot of poetry I'd say had deep spirit, without necessarily
following any single 'faith.' And of course I just don't know about a
lot of poetry in other languages, where there may be a lot of great
religious poetry.
Doug
Douglas Barbour
11655 - 72 Avenue NW
Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9
(780) 436 3320
There are places named for
other places, ones where
a word survives whatever happened
which it once referred to. And there are
names for the places water comes and touches.
But nothing for the whole.
Bill Manhire
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