On 30 Aug 2010, at 07:21, David Bircumshaw wrote:
> If I can hazard something here (i.e. not make any claim to a
> defining statement) I suspect that it could be possible to consider
> Christian Bok and Carol Ann Duffy as occupying analogous cultural
> positions in that each is a fairly representative instance of a poet
> adopted by the managerial structures in their own regional cultures.
Wow David.
> That is to suggest that Duffy's social realism lite and Bok's
> recycled Oulipo perform (or have performed in recent years) very
> much the same kind of function locally.
I really like your phrase 'social realism lite' - perfect. Bok's
'recycled Oulipo' is also a pretty perfect way of putting it, though
perhaps a little unfair, - that's not perfect is it? . I admit I have
trouble with EUNOIA, not because it has been so successful (though I
hope that isn't some sort of subconscious reason on my part) but
because I just don't think it works - it isn't all that good. It is
fun, yes, but the fun soon turns to boredom. The bits that work, that
vibrate, are too few and far between - it lacks Oulipo's sparkle and
charm and, more importantly, its lasting quality - but I admit this is
difficult to pin down. The most extraordinary thing about it however
is still the fact that it was picked up on, then praised by people who
we know have heaped insult after insult on similar but superior stuff.
Mad mad world.
Cheers
Tim A.
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