"to make the ordinary extraordinary, to wipe
the cobwebs from our pedestrian senses, is one of the primary tasks of
the poet, surely."
of course! and I think I've praised & gushed about the beauty in the
common & about WCW himself on more than one occasion around here. I
just didn't find this particular poem 'extraordinary'; though I did
find a great deal to laud, & I'm starting to find it genuinely
tiresome that every time I voice some personal critical viewpoint, I
get people rushing to the scene with half-playful retorts &
'defenses'.
also, while it isn't my particular cup of tea, I find the snap format
interesting & fun as well; I just hope, as ever, that there comes no
urge or temptation for the frivolous.
MJ, I'm glad to hear, as I'm sure Max is, that this resonated with
you. it's a nice statement to make -- "this spoke to me personally". I
just sometimes feel like making the opposite statement tends to be
interpreted as some kind of offense.
(plus I don't gasp all that much, surely?)
KS
On 25/04/07, andrew burke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Well, Max, I can't let 'Gasper' have the last say on this! I agree
> some of the wording is ambiguous at times, and that some of the
> repetitions and description could be edited, but surely that is one of
> the beauties of this 'snap' format: that the poet can see the raw work
> in front of him/her and have some objectivity to it so as to be able
> to edit it better. The energy of laying this down comes through loud
> and clear, and the older man's delight in his wife's shape is shared
> gleefully - and, for a reader of my vintage, with a touch of
> camaraderie.
>
> Now, as to the ordinariness of the subject of this poem and many
> others of Max's oeuvre: to make the ordinary extraordinary, to wipe
> the cobwebs from our pedestrian senses, is one of the primary tasks of
> the poet, surely. I take great delight in the delight taken by Max in
> everyday occurrences. And I always enjoy Max's humility - he does not
> over-reach or lay it on too thick, but rather underplays his tales of
> the everyday. There in lies great art.
>
> That's my take on it. I'm certain Dr Williams would agree.
>
> No dis to Gasp intended, but all praise to Max and the Snap format.
>
> Androo
>
>
> On 25/04/07, kasper salonen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > "scavenging in hungry raucous troops" is a bit much, it's a rather
> > long phrase amid the well-timed tempo.
>
>
> http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
> http://www.inblogs.net/hispirits
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/aburke/
>
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