On the issue of the knowledge and familiarity to a poets whole body of work. I recently watched ‘Hannah and her sisters’ dir. by Woody Allen and I loved it so much I went on to read on it. I noticed the critics we're familiar with Allen's whole work. However, the effect wasn't positive. Their knowledge of his body of work clouded their vision and they wrote in the attitude of highlighting patterns and missed the real meat of the film. They focused on the texture of the canvas and not paint on it. I, never haven seen any of his other works, had a taste of the flesh in this work and went to read so that was sure I had it in ample amounts and was disappointed. I eventually stumbled on one good piece on it, though. My point is, each poem has it's essence apart from the collection and a reading in isolation could be very worth much and a reading in perspective with the collection could be very worth little.
On memorisation. You put me on to Kay Ryan (And I Haven't got back to you on it because I'm still dipping myself). And I've made intentional efforts to memorise some of her poems—most notably ‘Ideal audience’.
Maybe what makes a poem memorable is how good one's criticism of it is, using Ancci's definition of criticism as reaction. I extend this and assert that ones return, over and over, to a poem is a reaction to it, a criticism of it. The memorability of the poem depends, a whole lot, on the reader's reading. How much in comparison to the intrinsic quality of the poem? I cannot tell.
Quick Question: Is Kay Ryan my contemporary?,😂
A good ear. I don't know what it is. It feels like I am developing it, but I doubt it seriously. Any advice? Should I just keep faith in reading the good stuff? A.E Houseman's The Grenadier sounds very beautiful in my ear, Is that too easy to hear?
Lastly. You upload this conversation on the day I first start to write down a criticism of a person's work. I have looked at criticism with suspicion, but from you to Harold Bloom (on Much Ado about Nothing), my attitude is shifting on the meter. So much that I started writing something of my own today, just look.
It's about one song off an album that was released recently. I wondered if that would make for much, or anything serious, but I went ahead anyway. Can it be anything? What do you think? I will admit, 100 words in, I thought, wouldn't it be better I listened to the whole album as attentively as I did this one song? I did, repeatedly, and I found reasons why the one song stood out to me. After that, I thought, why not listen to the whole discography? I'm free tomorrow and I'll do it, encouraged by your essay in Rumi. However, the piece remains about that one song. Have I just played against the whole of my first paragraph, I don't think so.
Oh man! I do not regret taking time out to read this.The exchange back and forth was really thoughtful, interesting and got me deeply engrossed. I greatly enjoyed the part where you talked about how a young poet should learn, and the fact that learning from the old and the best helps retain relevance.
"If I don’t outdo Shakespeare (who can?), let me touch the hem of his garment"
And then there's this statement that shook me to my core. It reminds me that Mediocrity is not even an option. Beyond literature I think this is an outlook by which one should live life by.
Got more to say, but hey. I have to read that again! Thanks for this Ernest!
This here is quality literature.
Hello.
On the issue of the knowledge and familiarity to a poets whole body of work. I recently watched ‘Hannah and her sisters’ dir. by Woody Allen and I loved it so much I went on to read on it. I noticed the critics we're familiar with Allen's whole work. However, the effect wasn't positive. Their knowledge of his body of work clouded their vision and they wrote in the attitude of highlighting patterns and missed the real meat of the film. They focused on the texture of the canvas and not paint on it. I, never haven seen any of his other works, had a taste of the flesh in this work and went to read so that was sure I had it in ample amounts and was disappointed. I eventually stumbled on one good piece on it, though. My point is, each poem has it's essence apart from the collection and a reading in isolation could be very worth much and a reading in perspective with the collection could be very worth little.
On memorisation. You put me on to Kay Ryan (And I Haven't got back to you on it because I'm still dipping myself). And I've made intentional efforts to memorise some of her poems—most notably ‘Ideal audience’.
Maybe what makes a poem memorable is how good one's criticism of it is, using Ancci's definition of criticism as reaction. I extend this and assert that ones return, over and over, to a poem is a reaction to it, a criticism of it. The memorability of the poem depends, a whole lot, on the reader's reading. How much in comparison to the intrinsic quality of the poem? I cannot tell.
Quick Question: Is Kay Ryan my contemporary?,😂
A good ear. I don't know what it is. It feels like I am developing it, but I doubt it seriously. Any advice? Should I just keep faith in reading the good stuff? A.E Houseman's The Grenadier sounds very beautiful in my ear, Is that too easy to hear?
Lastly. You upload this conversation on the day I first start to write down a criticism of a person's work. I have looked at criticism with suspicion, but from you to Harold Bloom (on Much Ado about Nothing), my attitude is shifting on the meter. So much that I started writing something of my own today, just look.
It's about one song off an album that was released recently. I wondered if that would make for much, or anything serious, but I went ahead anyway. Can it be anything? What do you think? I will admit, 100 words in, I thought, wouldn't it be better I listened to the whole album as attentively as I did this one song? I did, repeatedly, and I found reasons why the one song stood out to me. After that, I thought, why not listen to the whole discography? I'm free tomorrow and I'll do it, encouraged by your essay in Rumi. However, the piece remains about that one song. Have I just played against the whole of my first paragraph, I don't think so.
Thank you. For writing and having conversations.
Man, we need more conversations like this. We really do. Thank you so much.
Oh man! I do not regret taking time out to read this.The exchange back and forth was really thoughtful, interesting and got me deeply engrossed. I greatly enjoyed the part where you talked about how a young poet should learn, and the fact that learning from the old and the best helps retain relevance.
"If I don’t outdo Shakespeare (who can?), let me touch the hem of his garment"
And then there's this statement that shook me to my core. It reminds me that Mediocrity is not even an option. Beyond literature I think this is an outlook by which one should live life by.
Got more to say, but hey. I have to read that again! Thanks for this Ernest!
Thank you for reading, brother. I am glad you enjoyed reading it.
Lovely conversation! More of this, I pray.
A most gratifying conversation. More of this. More of this.