There's a general problem with the poems originally in English in the New England Review -- they all have that strained wispy poetry aroma to them, like we're supposed to get excited about ordinary events observed ordinarily by not particularly excited people.
Just thought I'd take note of this, since the post is going to self-destruct in 3 hours.
[UPDATE] And in fact already has self-destructed.
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Well, the good thing is that there are hundreds of magazines out there, so chances are high you will find some that you like.
I don't have a copy yet, so it's possible I'll disagree with my friend Jordan when I actually get my hands on it.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions. But I also think to make generalizations based on one issue is well, making generalizations. The Summer issue (the current one on the stands) isn't a repeat of the Spring issue (that Jordan discusses).
I'll start with the summer one.
Liked the Summer issue all right (especially the poems by Charles Cros, tr. John Kinsella, Michalle Gould, Richard Kenney, Lucia Perillo, Federico Garcia Lorca, tr. Ralph Angel, Diane Kirsten Martin, and G.C. Waldrep). And as I've mentioned a few times, William Levitan's version of Heloise in the first number this year was spectacular; liked William Logan's pieces in that one too. But I'll stand by the generalization Jonathan quoted. There are far better ways to admire Elizabeth Bishop than to write "dying, dying, dying."
I felt a shock of recognition upon reading JD's post. Not because I have seen this particular issue of NER (I have not) but because it describes so perfectly a kind of style I have seen quite a bit elswhere. I left out the part about one poem Jordan found particularly bad, because, well, I was more interested in the general point than in one particular illustration.
C. Dale, I didn't read that issue, but I generally feel (whenever I get to the library across the river) that you do what you do very well. There are highs and lows within that evidenced taste, but like anything poetry it's fairest to judge mostly by the highs.
Just my 2 cents.
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