Comments on: Pharmikon http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/ A blog from the Poetry Foundation where contemporary poets debate classic and contemporary poetry from America and around the world. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:27:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: james stotts http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25526 james stotts Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:27:27 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25526 the pharmikon anecdote is socrates' concern for the corruptive power of the word, something intimate and basic to plato's ultimate vision of a perfect republic. not only does text undermine the necessity of memory, which is a vital function in the logic of poetics, it also diverges from its source infinitely and transparently. as a gift from the sun god, it relieves man of his need for direct communion. it's an invention for incest and patricide (figuratively speaking). it doesn't seem accidental to me that in our time, poetry is facing a mnemonic crisis. in fact, i think it's obvious why--artificial memory is everywhere. homer only exists as artificial memory. the pharmikon anecdote is socrates’ concern for the corruptive power of the word, something intimate and basic to plato’s ultimate vision of a perfect republic. not only does text undermine the necessity of memory, which is a vital function in the logic of poetics, it also diverges from its source infinitely and transparently. as a gift from the sun god, it relieves man of his need for direct communion. it’s an invention for incest and patricide (figuratively speaking).
it doesn’t seem accidental to me that in our time, poetry is facing a mnemonic crisis. in fact, i think it’s obvious why–artificial memory is everywhere. homer only exists as artificial memory.

]]> By: Bobby http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25519 Bobby Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:03:59 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25519 Also, obviously, if you're interested in <em>pharmakon</em> Derrida's essay "Plato's Pharmacy," which shimmers a lot of the word's possibilities, is the place to head next. Also, obviously, if you’re interested in pharmakon Derrida’s essay “Plato’s Pharmacy,” which shimmers a lot of the word’s possibilities, is the place to head next.

]]> By: Cathy Halley http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25514 Cathy Halley Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:02:39 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25514 I'd been reading and loving Maggie's book too, then discovered this James Schuyler poem <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=179901" rel="nofollow">The Bluet</a> It ain't quite late, late October, but the poem's apt for this time of year. I’d been reading and loving Maggie’s book too, then discovered this James Schuyler poem The Bluet

It ain’t quite late, late October, but the poem’s apt for this time of year.

]]> By: albertine http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25511 albertine Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:00:04 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25511 Makes me think of "farm icon". Makes me think of “farm icon”.

]]> By: Joseph Hutchison http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25510 Joseph Hutchison Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:20:33 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25510 Sounds like an intriguing companion to William Gass's classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Being-Blue-Philosophical-Inquiry/dp/0879232374" rel="nofollow"><i>On Being Blue</i></a>. I'll put it on my wish list! Sounds like an intriguing companion to William Gass’s classic On Being Blue. I’ll put it on my wish list!

]]> By: Eileen Myles http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25508 Eileen Myles Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:04:53 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25508 I'm interested in what you mean, but you have to say more. Granted I didn't say much, but I thought I would lead people to the book. But the word of course is just shimmering w possibility. I’m interested in what you mean, but you have to say more. Granted I didn’t say much, but I thought I would lead people to the book. But the word of course is just shimmering w possibility.

]]> By: james stotts http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25507 james stotts Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:02:33 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25507 these are the roots of the 'republican' attack on poets. and the platonic beginnings of the age of reproduction, the loss of origin, and the sleight of hand replacement of teachers with texts, which is a very different kind of sex. all dirty stuff, indeed these are the roots of the ‘republican’ attack on poets.

and the platonic beginnings of the age of reproduction, the loss of origin, and the sleight of hand replacement of teachers with texts, which is a very different kind of sex.

all dirty stuff, indeed

]]> By: Bobby http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/pharmikon/#comment-25506 Bobby Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:21:51 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=5385#comment-25506 Maggie's a friend of mine, but even if she weren't I'd waste no time saying that this is a truly terrific book. Maggie’s a friend of mine, but even if she weren’t I’d waste no time saying that this is a truly terrific book.

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