Sunday 22 September 2002

categories: Hostage to Crap

An anecdote from the 2000 DPF: At the last Dodge Poetry Fest, I asked Stanley Kunitz to sign my copy of Passing Through. I think he was somewhat sick that day. I told him then, “Whenever I read your ‘Three Small Parables for my Poet Friends,’ it teaches me humility about craft. But whenever I read ‘Touch Me’ it reminds me that a perfect poem is possible.” 11:53:26 PM    comment []

It’s surprising to me how many of the poets are against the mere idea of war on Saddam’s regime. With so many voices being silenced in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, how can we, poets and lovers of poetry, as lovers of words, think to lend our voices to this silencing? How much have we lost to the Hitlers and Stalins and Pol Pots of our age? To the Pashas Talat and Enver? Could we but go back, how many more songs would now exist, would even now be sung? How many voices have been stilled? Have we had not had enough of Aleppos and Auschwitzes, Rwandas and Sarajevos, Phnom Penhs and Dachaus? Enough. 11:24:29 PM    comment []

5 moderator points on Slashdot, ending 24 Sep. 9:47:14 PM    comment []

categories: Hostage to Crap

I was not able to ask Gerald Stern today, “‘Lovesick’ is a poem that transports me, so much so that I find it difficult to analyze. Could you go over some of the technical decisions you made while writing it?” because some bozo in the front row asked a question about justice and love that set him off. However, I was able to sing a duet with him: By the light of the silvery moon I like to spoon with my honey I’ll croon love’s tune Honeymoon keep a-shinin’ in June... See? Glee club was good for more than just putting yourself on the fast track to geekdom in high school. 6:28:31 PM    comment []