Comments on: Inaugural verse: poetry and power all the way http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:11:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: huxley http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99612 huxley Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:32:16 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99612 I'm still puzzing over the lines: <blockquote><i>What if the mightiest word is love? Love beyond marital, filial, national, love that casts a widening pool of light, love with no need to pre-empt grievance.</i></blockquote> This is a curious kind of love: beyond love of spouse, family and nation, qualified only by its refusal to pre-empt grievance. Does this mean that America is finally off the hook for slavery and civil rights, or does it indicate that the measure of America will always be listening without pre-emption to grievance? I’m still puzzing over the lines:

What if the mightiest word is love?

Love beyond marital, filial, national,
love that casts a widening pool of light,
love with no need to pre-empt grievance.

This is a curious kind of love: beyond love of spouse, family and nation, qualified only by its refusal to pre-empt grievance.

Does this mean that America is finally off the hook for slavery and civil rights, or does it indicate that the measure of America will always be listening without pre-emption to grievance?

]]> By: neo-neocon http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99610 neo-neocon Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:06:28 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99610 Wolla Daldo: Maya Angelou's first memoir, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" was, despite the somewhat cutesy title, an excellent book. By now that sort of story has become a cliche, but at the time it was groundbreaking. The rest of her work isn't much, but for that one book I very much admire her. Wolla Daldo: Maya Angelou’s first memoir, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was, despite the somewhat cutesy title, an excellent book. By now that sort of story has become a cliche, but at the time it was groundbreaking. The rest of her work isn’t much, but for that one book I very much admire her.

]]> By: Wolla Dalbo http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99605 Wolla Dalbo Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:15:54 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99605 I believe Ms. Alexander inadvertently left off the final line of her poem: "Burma Shave." I liked Robert Frost as an Inaugural poet, but I thought Maya Angelou's "poem" for the Inauguration was sheer crap and, in fact, can find no reason to see her as talented in any way, except for her Puffer fish way of inflating her importance. In this, she reminds me of another fraud, Margaret Meade, wielder of the staff or wisdom. I believe Ms. Alexander inadvertently left off the final line of her poem:

“Burma Shave.”

I liked Robert Frost as an Inaugural poet, but I thought Maya Angelou’s “poem” for the Inauguration was sheer crap and, in fact, can find no reason to see her as talented in any way, except for her Puffer fish way of inflating her importance.

In this, she reminds me of another fraud, Margaret Meade, wielder of the staff or wisdom.

]]> By: Long Day « Slow Stagger http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99581 Long Day « Slow Stagger Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:48:05 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99581 [...] poem (“Praise Song for the Day” by Elizabeth Alexander).  Many, evidently, did not.  Some found it trite, or worse.  I actually thought it was unpretentious and pretty well scaled for the [...] [...] poem (“Praise Song for the Day” by Elizabeth Alexander).  Many, evidently, did not.  Some found it trite, or worse.  I actually thought it was unpretentious and pretty well scaled for the [...]

]]> By: expat http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99562 expat Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:45:12 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99562 Neo, There's a fun piece on poetry and Alexander by Stefan Kanfer over at City Journal. Neo,

There’s a fun piece on poetry and Alexander by Stefan Kanfer over at City Journal.

]]> By: sergey http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99554 sergey Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:06:19 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99554 Great poets can be great declamators, too. Another poet-laureate, Joseph Brodsky, has terrible accent, so many americans hardly could discern words, but he often made public recitals of his (and not only his) poems. As I read in many accounts of listeners, they all feel a profound drama simply in cadences of his voice; it was like a liturgy, which can emotionally elevate us even if conducted on unknown to listeners language. Great poets can be great declamators, too. Another poet-laureate, Joseph Brodsky, has terrible accent, so many americans hardly could discern words, but he often made public recitals of his (and not only his) poems. As I read in many accounts of listeners, they all feel a profound drama simply in cadences of his voice; it was like a liturgy, which can emotionally elevate us even if conducted on unknown to listeners language.

]]> By: huxley http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99547 huxley Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:12:17 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99547 --> "stubbornly modest terms" –> “stubbornly modest terms”

]]> By: huxley http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99546 huxley Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:06:25 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99546 Yes, Collins is pretty good! I don't think anyone wants to uphold Collins as great, but on his own stubborm;u modest terms he accomplishes what he sets out to do. His poems are original, interesting, and often humorous. Unlike Alexander, Collins does not hint at greater depths than can be found. A film friend was recently explaining the idea of "termite art" as opposed to "white elephant art" put forth by Manny Farber: <blockquote>"Termite art," on the other hand, has "no ambitions towards gilt culture" and "goes always forward eating its own boundaries." The aim of termite art is "buglike immersion in a small area without point or aim, and, over all, concentration on nailing down one moment without glamorizing it. But forgetting this accomplishment as soon as it has been passed; the feeling that all is expendable, that it can be chopped up and flung down in a different arrangement without ruin."</blockquote> Yes, Collins is pretty good! I don’t think anyone wants to uphold Collins as great, but on his own stubborm;u modest terms he accomplishes what he sets out to do. His poems are original, interesting, and often humorous. Unlike Alexander, Collins does not hint at greater depths than can be found.

A film friend was recently explaining the idea of “termite art” as opposed to “white elephant art” put forth by Manny Farber:

“Termite art,” on the other hand, has “no ambitions towards gilt culture” and “goes always forward eating its own boundaries.” The aim of termite art is “buglike immersion in a small area without point or aim, and, over all, concentration on nailing down one moment without glamorizing it. But forgetting this accomplishment as soon as it has been passed; the feeling that all is expendable, that it can be chopped up and flung down in a different arrangement without ruin.”

]]> By: neo-neocon http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99542 neo-neocon Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:20:02 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99542 huxley: That's a good one by Collins. I'm quite fond of his poetry---it manages to be pretty good poetry and often is simultaneously quite humorous, as well. huxley: That’s a good one by Collins. I’m quite fond of his poetry—it manages to be pretty good poetry and often is simultaneously quite humorous, as well.

]]> By: huxley http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99538 huxley Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:07:30 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2009/01/21/inaugural-verse-poetry-and-power-all-the-way/#comment-99538 Helen -- Well, I give the recent US Poet-Laureates credit for trying hard to restore poetry to the mainstream...though not with particular success. I'm fond of Billy Collins, the 2000 PL, for his approachable whimsy. Neither WC Williams nor TS Eliot nor even Robert Frost are threatened, but at least Collins doesn't take himself as seriously as Barbara Alexander seems to. <blockquote> <b>Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House</b> The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark that he barks every time they leave the house. They must switch him on on their way out. The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. I close all the windows in the house and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast but I can still hear him muffled under the music, barking, barking, barking, and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra, his head raised confidently as if Beethoven had included a part for barking dog. When the record finally ends he is still barking, sitting there in the oboe section barking, his eyes fixed on the conductor who is entreating him with his baton while the other musicians listen in respectful silence to the famous barking dog solo, that endless coda that first established Beethoven as an innovative genius. Billy Collins </blockquote> Helen — Well, I give the recent US Poet-Laureates credit for trying hard to restore poetry to the mainstream…though not with particular success.

I’m fond of Billy Collins, the 2000 PL, for his approachable whimsy. Neither WC Williams nor TS Eliot nor even Robert Frost are threatened, but at least Collins doesn’t take himself as seriously as Barbara Alexander seems to.

Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep A Gun In The House

The neighbors’ dog will not stop barking.
He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark
that he barks every time they leave the house.
They must switch him on on their way out.

The neighbors’ dog will not stop barking.
I close all the windows in the house
and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast
but I can still hear him muffled under the music,
barking, barking, barking,

and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra,
his head raised confidently as if Beethoven
had included a part for barking dog.

When the record finally ends he is still barking,
sitting there in the oboe section barking,
his eyes fixed on the conductor who is
entreating him with his baton

while the other musicians listen in respectful
silence to the famous barking dog solo,
that endless coda that first established
Beethoven as an innovative genius.

Billy Collins

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