7 nov 2007

I'm headed to Charlottesville for an hispanic poetry conference at UVA. I'm hoping my Seinfeld streak is not broken by travel. I'm 99 days into it now. If I can get through this trip I'll be set until December.

I'm about a week from completing this chapter on deep image poetry. I'll have a bit to say about Robert Bly, then about Rothenberg's Lorca Variations.

Bly is on record as saying

"... the younger poets, in failing to attack Merwin, or Rich, or Levertov, or me, or Ginsberg, or Simpson, or Hall, or Ed Dorn, are not doing their job."

[emphasis added]

So quite literally, HE'S ASKING FOR IT. Though I've decided to blunt my attack somewhat. It isn't the main focus of my book.

Then I'll have to find a way of finessing the JR issue.

1 comentario:

John dijo...

Bly isn't just asking for it for himself -- he's asking for it on JR's behalf too! No finessing! Do your job!

(Since you seem to be accepting Bly's terms . . . )

The Oedipal tango will end when the new Oedipus declines the dance. Of course, when the old Oedipus is asking for the dance, declining the dance is an Oedipal move.

I love Robert Bly. I do, and part of what I love is: The way he wants to be loved is to be hated, and to show him love is actually to hate him.

If I were you, I'd tell him to take his job and shove it, and then give him a big ol' kiss.