I had liked your Christmas cards poem, Martin. A little gem.
Judy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Dolan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 6:48 AM
Subject: Re: Introduction
> Hi Anny
>
> I'm not looking for an argument, either - and certainly not one about the
> academy and poetry!
>
> I too have a sense of duty to my professors, who (mostly) were good at
> their job. As a result, I left my studies with an adequate (if somewhat
> dated) appreciation of the tools of literary criticism and how to use
> them. I also had my eyes opened to a range of writers I would not have
> encountered otherwise, including an obscure French-Canadian poet upon whom
> I lavished too much time in my final year.
>
> What I didn't get (perhaps the fault was with myself) was any bridge
> between the world of criticism and theory and the world of applied
> literature - such as writing poetry. I doubt any of my professors saw that
> as their role. I'm not sure that I did either.
>
> The consequence was a certain amount of literary self-consciousness and a
> limited set of poetic tools. The poetic result - when not silence - was
> unedifying. It took me a long time to get a better balance between the two
> elements. Still working on it.
>
> Regards
>
> Martin
>
>> Hi Martin,
>>
>> without any wish of arguing but out of a sense of duty towards some of my
>> professors (the old English teacher excluded, and I agree with you here),
>> I
>> have received much from my formal studies, as a matter of fact what I
>> consider my backbone. And I am sorry I do not have time enough to go back
>> to
>> the Authors that at the time were so dear to me.
>>
>> Best,
>> Anny
>>
>> On Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 12:23 PM, Martin Dolan <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Hi Nathan
>>>
>>> I look forward to talking with you.
>>>
>>> I think I'm mostly self-taught, too. Is there another way? English and
>>> French literature at university hindered more than helped the writing,
>>> on mature reflection, however much it helped the understanding.
>>>
>>> Regards
>>>
>>> Martin Dolan
>
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