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Could be an interesting evening, Barry. I still dont know Gander's poetry, but intend ot; Bringhurst is an interesting mind, & his poetry is full of mindfulness.... I too like Merwin's translations, & some of his work, especially the little book for North Point, Finding the Islands. I'm back home from Chile, on my big computer now, & will sort of catch up as I can... Doug On 2011-04-21, at 9:42 AM, Barry Alpert wrote: > Though I've learned to expect little of interest to me emanating from the taste range of the poet laureates who pass thru the Library of Congress, I have to admit I was pleased and surprised by the selection of W.S. Merwin for the 2010-2011 season. When I was an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis, the English Department had a taste for poets published by Atheneum and I can remember writing an essay on Merwin's book THE DRUNK IN THE FURNACE for a faculty member who was also an Atheneum poet, Donald Finkel. Even when I was teaching at Philistine University, I treated the relationship between Merwin's prose poetry and his more conventional-looking poetry. I would still prefer reading a translation by W.S. Merwin over those by many other translators. > > Even if this is the only reading curated by W.S.M. during his term as PL which I'll attend, I've never had a chance to witness either poet live (except for the year Robert Bringhurst was--purely by accident--my next-door neighbor). I've prepared myself by sorting out the videos of Gander & Bringhurst on youtube and would like to single out one in particular which was conceptualized by Forest Gander (that is, he's credited with "poem, music, video"): > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAe726yL8K8 > > > "April 21 - Witter Bynner Fellowship Reading. Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin has chosen two seasoned voices in poetry, Forrest Gander and Robert Bringhurst, to receive the 2011 Witter Bynner Fellowships, and will introduce the poets on April 21 at the Library of Congress. Gander and Bringhurst will read their poems at 6:45 p.m. in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building. A book signing and reception will follow the event." > > > Barry > Douglas Barbour [log in to unmask] http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/ http://eclecticruckus.wordpress.com/ 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 Just a late night pilgrim Looking for redemption in the underground. Lord, won't you help a late night pilgrim When the morning comes around. Tift Merritt