Comments on: Recent books by Rick Barot, Chris Martin, and Karen Volkman http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/ Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:40:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan Studebaker http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-23692 Dan Studebaker Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:09:49 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-23692 <i>Barot is an absolutely lustrous writer, either unwilling or unable to utter a flawed or stubborn sound.</i> You are very accurate with this comment. His writing is so beautiful I feel guilty reading it. Barot is an absolutely lustrous writer, either unwilling or unable to utter a flawed or stubborn sound.

You are very accurate with this comment. His writing is so beautiful I feel guilty reading it.
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]]> By: John Oliver Simon http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21257 John Oliver Simon Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:24:40 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21257 Hi Joel, Your review stimulated my interest in Nancy Volkman's Nomina, and I'm gobbling up everything I can find of her sonnets on the Web. One reviewer speaks of her "resolute rejection of closure," which I think is knee-jerk post-avant pap; her poems slam the barn door pretty firmly, as in the example quoted here. That's what a good review does, Joel, points readers to stuff they may like while raising what yellow flags as can. A bad review, and I used to write them many years ago, tears down their guy in favor of our guy. My take on Volkman is that the sonnets are deliberately aimed to frustrate "close reading." You're working to piece out a prose synopsis: she sees this bird, agoraphobic sky, she runs screaming, what was that latin? and while you're puzzling, hypnotized by glittering rhyme, she slips you the mickey hiding in poet's mind, which grants her the leap to the final line. Dylan Thomas said much the same thing about his poems working on the ereader on another level while the mind is laboring to understand. I'll be on vacation for two weeks and checking Harriet only sporadically. Be good y'all. May you find the poems, may the poems find you. Hi Joel,

Your review stimulated my interest in Nancy Volkman’s Nomina, and I’m gobbling up everything I can find of her sonnets on the Web. One reviewer speaks of her “resolute rejection of closure,” which I think is knee-jerk post-avant pap; her poems slam the barn door pretty firmly, as in the example quoted here.

That’s what a good review does, Joel, points readers to stuff they may like while raising what yellow flags as can. A bad review, and I used to write them many years ago, tears down their guy in favor of our guy.

My take on Volkman is that the sonnets are deliberately aimed to frustrate “close reading.” You’re working to piece out a prose synopsis: she sees this bird, agoraphobic sky, she runs screaming, what was that latin? and while you’re puzzling, hypnotized by glittering rhyme, she slips you the mickey hiding in poet’s mind, which grants her the leap to the final line.

Dylan Thomas said much the same thing about his poems working on the ereader on another level while the mind is laboring to understand.

I’ll be on vacation for two weeks and checking Harriet only sporadically. Be good y’all. May you find the poems, may the poems find you.
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]]> By: Don Share http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21219 Don Share Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:27:49 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21219 I raise my Stein to you, for you have identified this correctly! I raise my Stein to you, for you have identified this correctly!
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]]> By: Joel Brouwer http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21218 Joel Brouwer Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:26:53 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21218 Stein? It ain't Old Possum. Is it? Stein?

It ain’t Old Possum.

Is it?
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]]> By: Don Share http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21217 Don Share Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:24:43 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21217 Pearl cat or cat or pill or pour check. New sit or little. New sat or little not a wad yet. Heavy toe heavy sit on head. Pearl cat or cat or pill or pour check.
New sit or little.
New sat or little not a wad yet.
Heavy toe heavy sit on head.
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]]> By: Joel Brouwer http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21216 Joel Brouwer Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:19:29 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21216 Click and flee! http://www.b3tards.com/u/420c52b7900bd7084f02/fluffdisast_cctv_store_cat.gif Click and flee!

http://www.b3tards.com/u/420c52b7900bd7084f02/fluffdisast_cctv_store_cat.gif
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]]> By: Matt http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21210 Matt Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:49:29 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21210 Folly: http://www.spdbooks.org/Producte/9781931824231/folly.aspx Folly: http://www.spdbooks.org/Producte/9781931824231/folly.aspx
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]]> By: Matt http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21209 Matt Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:43:42 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21209 kittens ARE cats... kittens ARE cats…
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]]> By: Joel Brouwer http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21206 Joel Brouwer Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:19:27 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21206 Erasmus didn't use the word; his translators did. Some 500 years ago. So he, for one, is doubly covered. Erasmus didn’t use the word; his translators did. Some 500 years ago. So he, for one, is doubly covered.
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]]> By: Joseph Duemer http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21204 Joseph Duemer Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:58:00 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21204 <em>Who, other than my college roommate who wore a cravat and smoked a meerschaum, uses the word “folly” with a straight face?</em> Erasmus? Me? Who, other than my college roommate who wore a cravat and smoked a meerschaum, uses the word “folly” with a straight face?

Erasmus? Me?
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]]> By: human http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21161 human Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:26:27 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21161 Cat Fancy stinks. I'm a Cats and Kittens kind of guy: http://www.petpublishing.com/catkit/ Cat Fancy stinks. I’m a Cats and Kittens kind of guy:

http://www.petpublishing.com/catkit/
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]]> By: Daniel E. Pritchard http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21142 Daniel E. Pritchard Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:40:34 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21142 I really like Volkman's sonnets, and I think they makes sense in a sort of super-imagist, almost gestural way — the words are used in a manner that stretches their standard meanings. But there is definitely a sense in the poem above. The opening lines ('The blue blanched figures—system of a bird— / possess the future in the singing spring,') are perfectly intelligible; from there she is dense, very dense, challenging the language to express so much ('syrinx opulens': the singing reed-nymph pursued by Pan, opulent — perhaps an overabundance of that reed). The Greek myth is echoed in the closing line, and in the 'blurred silence'. Close reading is possible, I think, with patience. I really like Volkman’s sonnets, and I think they makes sense in a sort of super-imagist, almost gestural way — the words are used in a manner that stretches their standard meanings. But there is definitely a sense in the poem above.

The opening lines (‘The blue blanched figures—system of a bird— / possess the future in the singing spring,’) are perfectly intelligible; from there she is dense, very dense, challenging the language to express so much (‘syrinx opulens’: the singing reed-nymph pursued by Pan, opulent — perhaps an overabundance of that reed). The Greek myth is echoed in the closing line, and in the ‘blurred silence’.

Close reading is possible, I think, with patience.
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]]> By: Joseph Hutchison http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21119 Joseph Hutchison Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:08:05 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21119 Joel, you've relieved me of trying to make sense of my scattered notes on <i>Nomina</i>, which line by line fascinates and baffles me. (Present tense because I keep re-reading it.) It seems part of Volkman's project is to defeat glosses—which only works because, as you say, there is an undeniable <i>something</i> there that unites each sonnet's associations in a way that feels important. I hate to used the overused word "compelling," but her poems <i>are</i> that in a strange, not quite abstract way. <i>Nomina</i> suggests "numina" as well, which may be why the poems are so strangely evanescent. Oddly enough, she reminds me of Bill Knott at his inventive best, though Knott is fierce and funny where Volkman is obsessive and sober. Yang and Yin? Joel, you’ve relieved me of trying to make sense of my scattered notes on Nomina, which line by line fascinates and baffles me. (Present tense because I keep re-reading it.) It seems part of Volkman’s project is to defeat glosses—which only works because, as you say, there is an undeniable something there that unites each sonnet’s associations in a way that feels important. I hate to used the overused word “compelling,” but her poems are that in a strange, not quite abstract way. Nomina suggests “numina” as well, which may be why the poems are so strangely evanescent. Oddly enough, she reminds me of Bill Knott at his inventive best, though Knott is fierce and funny where Volkman is obsessive and sober. Yang and Yin?
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]]> By: Steve Fellner http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21070 Steve Fellner Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:01:51 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21070 Hi Joel, I was bummed you became a teacher before I left Alabama. I've read your reviews in Parnassus and thought they were amazing. I have a blog Pansy Poetics and I felt affirmed: I said a lot of the same things as you. It confirmed that sometimes I sometimes I can be dead right. I thought you'd be interested. Here's the link: http://pansypoetics.blogspot.com/2009/03/questionable-fastidiousness-poems-of.html Steve Fellner Hi Joel,

I was bummed you became a teacher before I left Alabama.

I’ve read your reviews in Parnassus and thought they were amazing.

I have a blog Pansy Poetics and I felt affirmed: I said a lot of the same things as you.

It confirmed that sometimes I sometimes I can be dead right.

I thought you’d be interested. Here’s the link:

http://pansypoetics.blogspot.com/2009/03/questionable-fastidiousness-poems-of.html

Steve Fellner
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]]> By: Joel Brouwer http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21066 Joel Brouwer Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:46:12 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21066 Oh, the magazine was Cat Fancy. Oh, the magazine was Cat Fancy.
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]]> By: Joel Brouwer http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21065 Joel Brouwer Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:45:04 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21065 Galen, I don't think it's a bummer at all. I'm continually and constantly grateful and gobsmacked by the honor of having been asked to blog here, and as a result try to take the job as seriously as I know how. (It is of course also the case, as with any job, even ones you love, that there are times when you feel at a loss for what to do.) If I created the impression that I take this job lightly I apologize. That is not the case. Galen, I don’t think it’s a bummer at all. I’m continually and constantly grateful and gobsmacked by the honor of having been asked to blog here, and as a result try to take the job as seriously as I know how. (It is of course also the case, as with any job, even ones you love, that there are times when you feel at a loss for what to do.) If I created the impression that I take this job lightly I apologize. That is not the case.
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]]> By: Galen http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21060 Galen Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:45:16 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21060 Wow, what a bummer--having to blog for money. I feel for you, babe. Gosh--you could at least dish and tell us the aforementioned magazine--that's what blogs are for! Wow, what a bummer–having to blog for money. I feel for you, babe. Gosh–you could at least dish and tell us the aforementioned magazine–that’s what blogs are for!
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]]> By: Matthew Zapruder http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/07/recent-books-by-rick-barot-chris-martin-and-karen-volkman/#comment-21058 Matthew Zapruder Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:34:10 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=4316#comment-21058 Joel, I really like in this review how, for each of the books, you acknowledge the way the poems push against certain expectations we might have for poetry, and then move through those potential objections to offer some kind of explanation for those qualities in the poems. I think that gives a lot of space for people who respond both positively and negatively to these excerpts to have interesting thoughts about them. Plus, I really appreciate how you gently point out (or perpahs just imply) that each of these poets exemplifies certain trends in contemporary American poetic practice, without overdoing it, or treating them merely as exemplars. I think there's a lot of room here for a reader to think and rethink. It seems to me you have found a really excellent way to read critically without foregrounding your own personal preferences or judgments. Joel, I really like in this review how, for each of the books, you acknowledge the way the poems push against certain expectations we might have for poetry, and then move through those potential objections to offer some kind of explanation for those qualities in the poems. I think that gives a lot of space for people who respond both positively and negatively to these excerpts to have interesting thoughts about them.

Plus, I really appreciate how you gently point out (or perpahs just imply) that each of these poets exemplifies certain trends in contemporary American poetic practice, without overdoing it, or treating them merely as exemplars.

I think there’s a lot of room here for a reader to think and rethink. It seems to me you have found a really excellent way to read critically without foregrounding your own personal preferences or judgments.
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