Comments on: these aren’t the books you’re looking for (part two)

By: Major

Major — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:45:05 +0000

Thanks Steve for the sweeping review of events. I might, perversely, be one of few poets who actually enjoy MLA, slightly better than I do the AWP conference. Maybe, it is even perverse to entertain the idea of pleasure with either of those behemoth gatherings. Much joy, nonetheless, in reading your post. Lorine IS under-appreciated, right?
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By: Henry Gould

Henry Gould — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:08:31 +0000

Hi Kasey :
As far as I know (& I’m not an expert), Marvell was a public official, an elected member of Parliament, a writer of verse satires & Horatian odes on Cromwell etc… His dreamy pastoral poetry was perhaps more of an escape from a very busy social life (or a criticism of same), than a reflection of his daily routine.
As I say, I’m not an expert, but I believe Marvell was begotten, not made, out of a dream Keats was having, while snoozing on the furze or gorse or moss or whatever, after taking a long hike with Wordsworth, Blake & Clare; and furthermore, ye olde Englande itself was a figment of his (Marvell’s) imagination. Or so I’ve heard.
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By: K. Silem Mohammad

K. Silem Mohammad — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:51:44 +0000

I’m interested to hear about Marvell’s poetic community. He’s long been a favorite of mine, but I’ve only ever been able to form a picture of him as Milton’s secretary and/or a solitary eccentric, which I of course know couldn’t possibly be accurate.
I had the pleasure of seeing Heather Dubrow give a talk on lyric at an MLA some years ago, and talked with her for a couple minutes afterward–a terrific scholar and person.
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By: Henry Gould

Henry Gould — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:50:52 +0000

One American poet influenced by MacNeice is Edwin Honig. Honig’s 60s long poem Four Springs takes after MacNeice’s 40s long poem Autumn Journal, to some extent. I remember hearing (years ago) Honig talk at length, enthusiastically, about MacNeice & his poetry (I think he’d met him at some point over in England).
(speaking of Donne : the conclusion of Honig’s mostly-mournful poem echoes Donne’s “Valediction Forbidding Mourning” – “O more than moon, draw not up seas / to drown me in thy sphere…” When I told him (at some wine & cheese deal in 1971 or so) that I’d heard that in his poem, he said “You’re making my hair stand on end.” Most of the time, with Honig, I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not.)
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