Friday, August 05, 2005
Competition...
Auden chose Rosalie Moore's THE GRASSHOPPER'S MAN for the Yale Younger Poets in 1949, and I bet it shocked plenty, this choice. The book was nothing like the poems he himself wrote.
Auden's introduction was full of things that make me feel he knew he was going to be questioned as to why he chose this book. He spent time talking about conflict, and the need for it, as well as the need for making room at the other end of the table. Here's a bit:
"...for poetry flourishes when the opponents are determined and evenly matched but, if any party gains too complete a victory and succeeds in suppressing its rivals, poetry invariably declines."
And Will, I agree that a "scene" without room for conflict is no fun. I mean, what the hell's the point, right? Although sometimes some won't be too accepting of methods, or volume and pitch, but conflict can be a poet's best call-out for delivery. As though some celestial pitcher of lemons pours itself into cream. (changes into? or mixes with the?)
CAConrad
Auden's introduction was full of things that make me feel he knew he was going to be questioned as to why he chose this book. He spent time talking about conflict, and the need for it, as well as the need for making room at the other end of the table. Here's a bit:
"...for poetry flourishes when the opponents are determined and evenly matched but, if any party gains too complete a victory and succeeds in suppressing its rivals, poetry invariably declines."
And Will, I agree that a "scene" without room for conflict is no fun. I mean, what the hell's the point, right? Although sometimes some won't be too accepting of methods, or volume and pitch, but conflict can be a poet's best call-out for delivery. As though some celestial pitcher of lemons pours itself into cream. (changes into? or mixes with the?)
CAConrad
