Strangely enough (given I come from a land way down under) I have heard
Creeley read a number of times, and, yes, he certainly does have his great
moments and his less-than great moments. I first heard him read and speak
when he was barely off the plane - a long trip here from anywhere and they
had him speaking without a rest. It wasn't good - he was tired and grumpy,
which was understandable.
But at his public reading, with a sizable audience in an auditorium, it was
exactly as Doug said: he managed to make you feel like he was talking to you
and sharing his life's passion with you. He did have a strange way of
emphasising the line endings, but once you'd got over the novelty of this,
he read so clearly and so intently. He also choose poems we would know, in
the main: a clever thing to do when you're so far out of town.
I also heard him read and discuss poetry in a couple of small groups. Here
he choose to read himself and other poets to emphasise points he was
making - off the cuff, really, but obviously discussed a thousand times
before. A generous man, accepting us as equals and treating us so.
I've only heard Seamus H read on radio and tape - and I enjoyed it. Again,
they were mainly early poems which I already knew well, so I appreciated
hearing his rendition of them. Now I sam going outside to hang the washing
up and rehearse my reading. Maybe the birds will comment with a trill or a
spill ...
Andrew
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Fallon" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 3:24 AM
Subject: Re: & in Fantastic Providence
> I wish I had been there with you to hear Creeley. I was reading
> on the same program that he was. (I will not vouch for my own
> reading.) He, honestly, was terrible. But, perhaps I am being
> unfair to him and should allow him an off night?
>
> Tom
>
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