Yes, two of mine too. I just went cross-eyed when I read what the blog
was saying, soberly debating whether poetry ought to rhyme or not.
Rundle isn't a literary figure, he's a political commentator, but
judging by these two pieces, he knows more about contemporary
Australian poetry than the editor of the ALR.
Fresh off the back of a stimulating debate about cross-racial casting
in Australian theatre, which maybe accounts for my depressed response.
(It even made it to the Guardian today,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2009/aug/06/birthday-party-australia
, with the usual colonialist condescension - aargh).
xA
On Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 4:35 AM, Douglas Barbour<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Ah, but the blogger, whoeever he is, included in that list two I'd stand by,
> Neilson & Slessor, of that older school, that is.
>
> And it does, alas, come down to taste. I see some agreed with Rundle about
> the boring qualities of the James piece.
>
> The old academic was sad, though.
>
> And the usual lack of knowledge about so many fine poets in Oz, unnamed
> because unknown?
>
> Doug
> On 6-Aug-09, at 6:17 AM, Alison Croggon wrote:
>
>> I guess Guy Rundle has sparked what passes for public debate on poetry
>> here. It's unbelievably depressing. Anyway, the Australian blog has
>> replied to Mr Rundle, and now people are talking about how great Henry
>> Lawson and Banjo Paterson are. I can't bring myself to comment, which
>> perhaps says everything since I am such a loudmouth. But it's just
>> toxic and sad.
>
> Douglas Barbour
> [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/
>
> 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
>
> There are as many fools in the world as there are people.
>
> Sigmund Freud
>
--
Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
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