13 mar 2003

Is there a contradiction between my relative permissiveness about poetry, my sincere belief that there are different valid ways of writing, and my utter rejection of entire poetic styles? Ron Padgett's "Post-Publication Blues"

My first book of poems
has just been published.
It is over there on the table
lying there on the table, where
it is lying. It has
a beautiful cover and design.
The publishers have spent a lot of money
on it and devoted many
man- and woman-hours to it.
The bookstores are ordering copies.
Unfortunately I am a very bad poet and
the book is no good.

This is a very good poem despite the fact that it pretends not to be including seemingly pointless repetitions and flat lines like "The bookstores are ordering copies." I can feel permissive toward this poet; even though I wouldn't make absurdly grandiose claims about Padgett, he has made a unique contribution to poetry. Here, of course, the joke is on the reader, since the last lines justify the seeming inadequacy of the poet's language. I cannot feel "permissive" in the same way toward a Robert Pinsky.

This was the point that I was trying all morning to remember. I would remember it when I was away from the computer and forget it again when I began to blog. Unfortunately this blog has nothing of value on it and you are wasting your time reading it.

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