Hi Anny
I'm not looking for an argument, either - and certainly not one about
the academy and poetry!
I too have a sense of duty to my professors, who (mostly) were good at
their job. As a result, I left my studies with an adequate (if somewhat
dated) appreciation of the tools of literary criticism and how to use
them. I also had my eyes opened to a range of writers I would not have
encountered otherwise, including an obscure French-Canadian poet upon
whom I lavished too much time in my final year.
What I didn't get (perhaps the fault was with myself) was any bridge
between the world of criticism and theory and the world of applied
literature - such as writing poetry. I doubt any of my professors saw
that as their role. I'm not sure that I did either.
The consequence was a certain amount of literary self-consciousness and
a limited set of poetic tools. The poetic result - when not silence -
was unedifying. It took me a long time to get a better balance between
the two elements. Still working on it.
Regards
Martin
> Hi Martin,
>
> without any wish of arguing but out of a sense of duty towards some of my
> professors (the old English teacher excluded, and I agree with you here), I
> have received much from my formal studies, as a matter of fact what I
> consider my backbone. And I am sorry I do not have time enough to go back to
> the Authors that at the time were so dear to me.
>
> Best,
> Anny
>
> On Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 12:23 PM, Martin Dolan <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
>
>> Hi Nathan
>>
>> I look forward to talking with you.
>>
>> I think I'm mostly self-taught, too. Is there another way? English and
>> French literature at university hindered more than helped the writing,
>> on mature reflection, however much it helped the understanding.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Martin Dolan
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