On Wed, 12 Mar 1997, L. MacMahon and T.R. Healy wrote:
> Last Saturday, John made a number of proposals for the list.  One of them,
> amounting to establishing our own mini-canon by merit of poems having been
> accepted by three rotating readers chosen from the list, particularly
> impressed me.  I like the idea of posting such work as gets past the
> clappometer to, say, Arts Councils.  At least they would know what we're at.
> How do others feel about this?  If positive, perhaps Ric, as the list's
> guide and leader might start the ball rolling by nominating a reader at whom
> we might aim our missiles.  To avoid self-absorption we could, with their
> permission, include non-listees work, poets who aren't on-line.  

Hmm... Well - recognising the playfulness of Randolphs language here - let
me voice my wariness about canons, mini or otherwise. There's a huge
difference between an anthology, a collection, and the - to me, revolting
- idea of poems getting elected/chosen/winning. But here's another
proposal, which also builds in a bit more contact with the outside
world...

1. Listmembers are invited to select a poem of some significance, written
post-1990, by a writer of British/Irish provenance. The writer could be
(a) the listmember (b) another litmember (c) not a listmember. There are
natural constraints involved in the selection, in that the poem has to be
capable of circulating in e-format and looking ok on a wide range of
viewers.

2. The poem is given to a non-list member (or more than one, if that's
felt appropriate) (oh, come on - surely you know people who aren't on the
list), who is invited to write a brief commentary / appreciation /
rejoinder to it. Listmember collates poem and additional material. 

3. Lismem slams poem and commentary - and any necessary copyright
clearance from poet and commentator - up to the list ("natural
constraints" apply). Discussion and further footnoting takes place. 

4. When the process has gone on a while, some of the work so opened up can
be mounted as "attatched files" to this list, where they'll be retrievable
/ searchable for. Hence the need, from the outset, to have permissions
from poet and all commentators, to be accurate in transcription etc. 

5. This listowner, as "guide and leader" (help!) refuses to act as Brown
Owl in this: listmembers either get to it or they don't.

I think this process is open enough to involve any number of different
approaches, still produce some useful discussion, and possibly, at the end
of it all, the beginings of a useful resource.

___________________________________________________________
Richard Caddel
Durham University Library, Stockton Rd., Durham DH1 3LY, UK
E-mail: R.I.Caddel @ durham.ac.uk   
Phone: +44 (0)191 374 3044    Fax: +44 (0)191 374 7481               
WWW: http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dul0ric                                                                      

"Words! Pens are too light. Take a chisel to write."          
                                - Basil Bunting                            
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