Kamau is very much with us, in spectacular
health, in fact. He gave a superb reading in New
York last season. He teaches in the Comp Lit department at NYU.
At 11:13 AM 6/2/2009, you wrote:
>Ah, yes, Martin. EKB is a West Indian that I
>read and very much liked. I think he is no
>longer with us, as well!! Walcott I have read
>little because there was not much impulse to
>read more. An ambitious emulative "iam pentam"
>colonial subject, methought. Which probably
>fit the officially desired Oxford "Professor" template, I suspect.
>No, I have been around a lot of, in my opinion,
>great poetry written by 'ungreat' people who are
>of and have connected across various classes. As
>much as I think right now the practice of poetry
>has become a mix of saturation and disconnect by
>us makers of the stuff. As much as I try also to
>remain connected and connect, etc.
>And I am blessed to live in a City and region
>where a ton of poets and poetry stuff happens - readings, talks, etc.
>
>Stephen V
>http://stephenvincent.net/blog/
>
>
>
>
>--- On Tue, 6/2/09, Martin Walker <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>From: Martin Walker <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: "Previously unpublished"
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 2:13 AM
>
>Bra(i)thwaite, Stephen? Methinks you got your
>West Indians mixed up ;-). Edward Kamau B. is as
>you say not so well known, but in the poetry
>world Derek Walcott has been much read and
>fêted. And has poetry ever - at least since
>bardic times - been much more than a diversion
>of the clerisy & purveyors of high-class
>entertainment to the ruling caste, he asked wickedly?
>mj
>Du siehst mein Sohn, zum Raum wird hier die Zeit. - Gurnemanz
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Stephen Vincent
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 3:06 AM
> Subject: Re: "Previously unpublished"
>
>
> I been thinking - and maybe others have, as
> well - that a poem does not exist in any of the
> public spheres (online, print, etc.) until it
> 'breeds' a review and/or critical response in
> the eye/ear in a similar or entirely separate
> public channel (online,print, etc.) And
> something continues to grow from there.
>
> I am thinking that most poetry, no matter how
> well or diligently written has become
> absolutely frivolous. Frivolous because it has
> no visible, or useful function in the
> culture(s). It's just dead on arrival! The
> mechanisms for making it so appear entirely devoid of vitality.
> At best Hermes is talking to Hermes.
>
> Until such public means (call and response)
> are constructed (again), no matter our skills
> and muse fidelities, in terms of any longer
> being a big public animal, we be sweeping salt.
> (i.e., there is much work to be done, and why
> the weekly poetry snap here can be and is valuable).
>
> Whatever his graces, flaws, etc. I suspect
> Padel was able for a bit to play her ruse on
> Braithwaite and make it persuasive was because
> not many in this world had read his poetry.
> Where issues of sexual harassment are - and
> rightly so - required literacy and training in
> multiple (academic, corporate, etc.)
> environments. And consequently publicly
> persuasive and, for a time, ruled this discussion
>
> On this this joyous note!
>
> Stephen V
> http://stephenvincent.net/blog/
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