Hi Judith, Ali here, yes, I tend to do the same, skim the collection first before buying, but on this occasion, alas, I didn't. And I 100% agree with you, poetry is subjective and I too have rarely found any great poetry in the 'super serious' lit prizes ... they mostly leave me scratching my head! Thanks for reading, Judith - and for commenting!
I have had that experience so many times! What can you do? Yes, say so! I love the way you turn the experience into a poetical one - I'm off to find the only croissant in Wonthaggi. Let there be butter ...
Hi Jim, Ali here - thank you for reading! And oh yes please let there be butter (and maybe also jam). And I agree, what can you do? Thankfully I have my Jim Walton collections on my shelves to keep me sane.
Hi Rochelle, Ali here. Yes, some of my favourite collections throughout the years have been the annual Best American Poetry anthologies. I've found some incredible gems in there. Although the last 2 years have disappointed somewhat! But I do go back to these anthologies time and again.
This is a good argument for eschewing generic blurbs on book covers, as has been discussed in the literaturesphere recently. If only can be that brave if I ever get a first book out there myself...
Your comments about being a punk who listened to Campbell and Wynette reminds me of John Lydon confessing that, "you can only hate Pink Floyd for a limited length of time," and Bob Geldof professing his admiration for Steely Dan when, "for years, they were the sort of band you'd be strung up by the n*ts for even admitting you'd listened to them, much less liked them."
I've been trying to find the name of the poetry book you gave back. I even tried googling the blurbs you quoted, combined with the word "Pulitzer." No luck so far ...
Hi Glen, Ali here. I hope you're getting close to getting your book out there! Love that John Lyon comment and also the Bob Geldof - they certainly leave one feeling less alone :) Ah, yes, I haven't named the poet because I think that would be particularly ungenerous of me! Thanks so much for reading Glen, I hope your writing is on fire ... we await your collection!
I’ve been thinking about this overnight too. I was subscribed to The Paris View poetry page for about a year. Can’t recall a single poem having an impact. I could get they were clever or well crafted or have allusions to other works of art but for me they were all intellectual exercise no heart
Hey Jimmy, Ali here, I 100% agree with you. I am always banging on about not caring about 'clever' in a poem - show me its heart! I've also chatted with a few poets who would rather keep the strict syllable count in their lines, than alter a word that's not quite working, because it would upset their syllable count and they'd then have to potentially rearrange/rewrite their lines. I also get that for some people those tight syllable/line 'rules' are what make poetry interesting to them. Each poet to his own, of course. But 'clever' in a poem has never moved me once. And I, like you, want poetry to move me.
Michael Rosen says we should consider poetry we don’t admire as ‘a field of possibility’. I accept that, with the proviso that most fields contain some cow pats.
I have a slim volume of malodorous cow pats taking up more space than I can afford on my bookcase. What to do? Too late to take it back for a refund. Burning it would afford it a status it does not deserve. Mailing it to the poet with a critique would only encourage him to think his whimpering, entitled, self congratulated text was causing a stir (Never stir a cow pat). Current thinking is to use the pages to create a found poem. Perhaps among the ink blots I can find enough disconnected letters to act as Scrabble tiles for my imagination and write my own startling poem…ah! Here is an F and a U and on this page is a C shyly lurking…
Hi Jeannie, Ali here, Oh I laughed and laughed, your response is absolutely hilarious - and brilliant! Ah, those F's, U's and C's ... what to do, what to do ....! I really hope you do use the scraps and write a magnificent found poem from them. Look forward to reading it Jeannie :):) No pressure of course!
Brilliant Ali
So kind of you thank you Karen! xx
I try to skim through and find at least one poem that catches my eye and/or heart before parting with money.
Poetry is subjective and I've found it hard to read anything that been awarded some of the "super serious" literary prizes.
Hi Judith, Ali here, yes, I tend to do the same, skim the collection first before buying, but on this occasion, alas, I didn't. And I 100% agree with you, poetry is subjective and I too have rarely found any great poetry in the 'super serious' lit prizes ... they mostly leave me scratching my head! Thanks for reading, Judith - and for commenting!
I have had that experience so many times! What can you do? Yes, say so! I love the way you turn the experience into a poetical one - I'm off to find the only croissant in Wonthaggi. Let there be butter ...
Hi Jim, Ali here - thank you for reading! And oh yes please let there be butter (and maybe also jam). And I agree, what can you do? Thankfully I have my Jim Walton collections on my shelves to keep me sane.
I've learned NOT to buy collections. If I buy anthologies, the best poems are in their, not some of the best poems and the rest clunckers.
Hi Rochelle, Ali here. Yes, some of my favourite collections throughout the years have been the annual Best American Poetry anthologies. I've found some incredible gems in there. Although the last 2 years have disappointed somewhat! But I do go back to these anthologies time and again.
This is a good argument for eschewing generic blurbs on book covers, as has been discussed in the literaturesphere recently. If only can be that brave if I ever get a first book out there myself...
Your comments about being a punk who listened to Campbell and Wynette reminds me of John Lydon confessing that, "you can only hate Pink Floyd for a limited length of time," and Bob Geldof professing his admiration for Steely Dan when, "for years, they were the sort of band you'd be strung up by the n*ts for even admitting you'd listened to them, much less liked them."
I've been trying to find the name of the poetry book you gave back. I even tried googling the blurbs you quoted, combined with the word "Pulitzer." No luck so far ...
Hi Glen, Ali here. I hope you're getting close to getting your book out there! Love that John Lyon comment and also the Bob Geldof - they certainly leave one feeling less alone :) Ah, yes, I haven't named the poet because I think that would be particularly ungenerous of me! Thanks so much for reading Glen, I hope your writing is on fire ... we await your collection!
Thanks, Ali. I'm trying!
Quite right of you to leave the poet and the book unnamed. But you can hardly blame me for trying to find them out ... :)
Hehehe, of course, Glen! :):) And do keep us posted on your collection!
I agree with your assessment of the poetry. You were right to take it back. All mediocrity no risk.
Ah, Jimmy, perfectly in line with The Magi & Ali Poetry Show tagline! Thanks for reading and leaving the perfect comment. THANK YOU!
I’ve been thinking about this overnight too. I was subscribed to The Paris View poetry page for about a year. Can’t recall a single poem having an impact. I could get they were clever or well crafted or have allusions to other works of art but for me they were all intellectual exercise no heart
Hey Jimmy, Ali here, I 100% agree with you. I am always banging on about not caring about 'clever' in a poem - show me its heart! I've also chatted with a few poets who would rather keep the strict syllable count in their lines, than alter a word that's not quite working, because it would upset their syllable count and they'd then have to potentially rearrange/rewrite their lines. I also get that for some people those tight syllable/line 'rules' are what make poetry interesting to them. Each poet to his own, of course. But 'clever' in a poem has never moved me once. And I, like you, want poetry to move me.
Michael Rosen says we should consider poetry we don’t admire as ‘a field of possibility’. I accept that, with the proviso that most fields contain some cow pats.
I have a slim volume of malodorous cow pats taking up more space than I can afford on my bookcase. What to do? Too late to take it back for a refund. Burning it would afford it a status it does not deserve. Mailing it to the poet with a critique would only encourage him to think his whimpering, entitled, self congratulated text was causing a stir (Never stir a cow pat). Current thinking is to use the pages to create a found poem. Perhaps among the ink blots I can find enough disconnected letters to act as Scrabble tiles for my imagination and write my own startling poem…ah! Here is an F and a U and on this page is a C shyly lurking…
Hi Jeannie, Ali here, Oh I laughed and laughed, your response is absolutely hilarious - and brilliant! Ah, those F's, U's and C's ... what to do, what to do ....! I really hope you do use the scraps and write a magnificent found poem from them. Look forward to reading it Jeannie :):) No pressure of course!