I'd nervously posit that George Herbert happened at a linguistic moment at
which it was possible for him to create 'great religious poetry' (I'd
subscribe that phrase with my many hesitations too)
Since then, in English, that mercantile language we inhabit, last one we
have is Hopkins, a very peculiar one too, one can see the fault-lines of
failure for instance in the late Auden attempts, don't quite convince do
they?
I agree with you about those translations from the natural world, and their
Hopkins provenance, but Murray's still a problematic presence.
In a way, some of Celan's poems are religious, although it's quite likely
Celan didn't believe in any God, one can interpret them as psalms to a deity
Who Is Not There.
Very Annoyed Psalms.
Best
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alison Croggon" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 1:20 AM
Subject: Re: Snap/3-15-06--"The God Thing"
> > I +feel+ that RS Thomas's religious poems are very poor, and well
inferior
> > to his best work. Les Murray is a difficult area to negotiate ( I mean
how
> > could anyone with any aesthetic sense ever have appended his name as
'Les A.
> > Murray'?) but, he can be a fine poet, though a dubious presence, a loose
> > phrase that, but again I don't feel comfortable discussing it.
> >
> > These are unlike, as religious poets, the genuinely great religious poet
> > George Herbert, whom I hope Janet has now learnt about.
>
> Hi David - yes, but who is like George Herbert? (one of my favourites, as
> well). Some of us can only wish... But Murray's animal poems aren't so
far
> from some of Hopkins. I'm very fond of Les, as are a surprising number of
> young feminist women. That doesn't mean I agree with everything he says.
But
> his best poems are very fine indeed, and he's written some great
> contemplative poems which might well be described as religious - probably
my
> favourite is "Walking to the Cattle Place".
>
> And RS Thomas' poems about doubt are really wonderful, I think, if very
> tormented.
>
> But maybe it all comes down to what you mean by "religious". Does it mean
> using religious iconography? (in that case, despite being a good atheist
> I've written quite a number myself). Or does it mean contemplative poems
> dealing with some numinous experience? Theological meanderings? It
certainly
> needn't mean dogmatic doggerel - Doug mentioned Fanny Howe, and she's in
> quite a different universe from that.
>
> All best
>
> Alison
>
> Alison Croggon
>
> Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
> Editor, Masthead: http://masthead.net.au
> Home page: http://alisoncroggon.com
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