And a useful point it is, Stephen.
Ha, Oh Taste and See was one of my significant books, helped me in so
many ways, & remains a book I return to. I am reading a thesis on John
Thompson & Phyllis Webb & 'the free verse ghazal,' which they brought
to Canada, out of Ghazals from Ghalib & Rich's versions from that
experience. How a major kind of influence happens.
Yes, it's in the details of what is 'of use' to a particular reader:
Webb is central to me, but not alone.
Doug
On 25-Aug-09, at 6:07 PM, Stephen Vincent wrote:
> After obliquely lurking here, to weigh in minimally, I personally,
> or instinctively, always feel uncomfortable with sweeping
> statements in relationship to one kind of poetry or other (era,
> group, genre, nationality, etc.) Such statement always seem to take
> on colors of grandiose judgment, dismissal, or inflated celebration.
> A kind of 'Tory problem' in my ears that does not seem to benefit my
> experience of actually reading a work. I prefer particulars and
> working from there on up or down. After a long time of not I have
> been re-reading Denise Levertov. Some incredibly alluring poems,
> particularly when younger and less angered and made pontifical by
> Viet-Nam, and, most particularly, the war in El Salvador. But who
> could not get angry and/or remain spiritually insular - the site
> from which she wrote so well? Even tho it 'down-slided' her
> career. So, in context of 'this argument' I was thinking how
> influential she, Creeley and many others had as
> influence on the reshaping of British poetry in the 60's and 70's.
> And how now that influence is being shed and back to taking root
> from poetries - often ancient to Britain or translations from
> elsewhere. Take a look at work of Peter Manson or Trevor Joyce or
> Monk or Alan Halsey - to name but a few of which I would certainly
> 'significant' to my reading.
>
> My point is that I do get bored by arch-bold statements about much
> except politicians and torturers. My favorite devils and angels are
> in the details.
Douglas Barbour
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http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/
Latest books:
Continuations (with Sheila E Murphy)
http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=664
Wednesdays'
http://abovegroundpress.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-from-aboveground-press_10.html
There are as many fools in the world as there are people.
Sigmund Freud
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