Dear Pierre et. al.,
I certainly understand that the story of Frank Samperi's life would open the
work for you, but I think that only gets one so far, as in Emily Dickinson's
and Leopardi's and etc. Many poets have fascinating struggles--and they do
illuminate, if somewhat fitfully--the writing. I do respond to Frank
Samperi's work in a positive manner--it's stripped-down less is more
writing--lapidary, and when it works it does indeed work well. What I find
off-putting though is the "philosophical" side of things in Samperi, maybe
you can help me here--because quite frankly I don't get it. Oppen I
understand--he sent me reading through Wittgenstein when I was a kid. From
where does Frank Samperi's mastery of philosophy come from--what is the
tradition he works within? How does one balance all of that heavy thinking
on stalks of worrds--like the latest earth art where boulders are lifted
high against the sun at sundown or sunrise by saplings the width of a baby's
wrist.
Yes, I know the thing with Cid--though happily enough his work that explores
the limits of language--the "I'm speaking to you from beyond the beyond,
etc." has become more resonant after his death. He would dearly love for
that to be happening, I know. I'm sure he counted on it happening in fact.
In conclusion, any help understanding Frank Samperi's philosophy would be
greatly appreciated.
You know it seemed as if those libraries in the midwest were busy throwing
treasures away back in the 1980's. Frank Samperi's beautiful books, Joel
Oppenheimer's limited edition books, a rare Robert Duncan, I found them all
cast away with library cards in the back.
It really was a shame. I walked away with a few of these treasures after
slapping down my 50 cents. I even got a free book back with the bargain. I
recall seeing more Frank Samperi books in a stack in a St. Vincent De Paul's
used things emporium in Milwaukee.
Jess
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