July 1st, 2010 / 4:55 am
Snippets
Snippets
Nick Antosca—
Merwin named Poet Laureate. Is this news of interest or relevance to you? Genuine question.
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Meta
I have to admit a bit of classist suspicion regarding anyone who has studied poetry at Princeton. This award might sell some books. It is kind of like being knighted. Should a writer accept an award from a government? They take you and your work and make it “official” in a disconcerting manner—something like colonization.
That’s one of those things I feel I should be more interested in than I usually am.
Not since Billy Collins.
Not really. I suppose it’s good that the fed government at least winks in the direction of lit, but this is a boring way to do it. I’d rather they sponsored a yearly lit/poetry festival, or something. Or, hell, TELEVISED a poetry reading, and made it like a big deal n stuff.
I have to admit a bit of classist suspicion regarding anyone who has studied poetry at Princeton. This award might sell some books. It is kind of like being knighted. Should a writer accept an award from a government? They take you and your work and make it “official” in a disconcerting manner—something like colonization.
Far more relevant than the question. I don’t understand these comments either. The Library of Congress appoints the Laureate, not the CIA. It’s not an award. It’s a position, the goal of which is establishing new ways to promote poetry in America (I should say I thank high Christ on his cross that this doesn’t include television). Billy Collins was a good Laureate, as was Robert Pinsky. Merwin is one of our few sincere and intellectually engaged political poets, and as such I consider it vital and important that he’s been nominated to the position. Far more relevant than Kay Ryan, who is essentially a stand-up comedian.
Fuck yes. I mean, the post is a joke, but at least Obama gets out of my shit-house for picking an American master. Merwin is the last of the beasts.
I thought he was dead.
That’s one of those things I feel I should be more interested in than I usually am.
Normally, no, I’m not interested. But I am now. W.S. Merwin is fantastic.
Interest and relevance — I like that compare/contrast.
Merwin did write The Lice, did translate Follain.
He is certainly one of the best-known poets of his generation.
The best thing about that job in its current incarnation is that it slows down the masterpiece production line.
Someday soon someone will publish a a Lives of the Poets that explains candidly and concisely why we have heard of each of the few poets of whom the newspapers have heard. The Kay Ryan entry will, in keeping with her poems, be short.
Yep, I’m happy to hear that it was he who was appointed. Maybe now he’ll finally win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Billy Collins writes glorified greeting cards.
The Lice is a masterpiece
Not since Billy Collins.
I’m happy to live in a time where Merwin is the poet laureate. That guy deserves to make more money for his speaking engagements.
nnot sure that poet laureates ever acctually achieve their goal. i’m not sure why this position still exists
Not really. I suppose it’s good that the fed government at least winks in the direction of lit, but this is a boring way to do it. I’d rather they sponsored a yearly lit/poetry festival, or something. Or, hell, TELEVISED a poetry reading, and made it like a big deal n stuff.
Collins put Poetry 360 over, which is something. Pinsky was tireless, and if the net result of his efforts is that he is the ambassador-for-life from poetry to TV and radio, at least poetry has a thoughtful ambassador.
The job used to be to write harmless poems about royalty in exchange for a barrel of sack. It was a good job, and if we had a monarchy I’d suggest we reset to those conditions.
(crickets)
I’m sorry, did I take your comment waaaay too seriously?
Wikipedia says the Poet Laureate is appointed by the “Librarian of Congress,” not the President, so I guess in your shit-house Obama will remain.
Yes, the shit-house I have constructed in the marginal space between my tongue and my cheek.
Damn. Feel like I just fell into a trap.
Agreed. Normally, I roll my eyes at the Poet Laureate thing, but I love Merwin – it makes me happy to see him be recognized.
Far more relevant than the question. I don’t understand these comments either. The Library of Congress appoints the Laureate, not the CIA. It’s not an award. It’s a position, the goal of which is establishing new ways to promote poetry in America (I should say I thank high Christ on his cross that this doesn’t include television). Billy Collins was a good Laureate, as was Robert Pinsky. Merwin is one of our few sincere and intellectually engaged political poets, and as such I consider it vital and important that he’s been nominated to the position. Far more relevant than Kay Ryan, who is essentially a stand-up comedian.
Fuck yes. I mean, the post is a joke, but at least Obama gets out of my shit-house for picking an American master. Merwin is the last of the beasts.
hmmm now i have a poem by the poet laureate taped to my wall, and i feel a little weird about it.
I thought he was dead.
Normally, no, I’m not interested. But I am now. W.S. Merwin is fantastic.
You want to see a laureate who didn’t do fuck all with the position, you find yourself a Louise Gluck. She’s probably cruising around Long Island Sound in a catered bus right now eating halved almonds. I don’t understand how people think this isn’t an essential appointment. What about Stanley Kunitz? Or has it just become gauche to actually research what poets do for the promotion of the art.
Interest and relevance — I like that compare/contrast.
Merwin did write The Lice, did translate Follain.
He is certainly one of the best-known poets of his generation.
The best thing about that job in its current incarnation is that it slows down the masterpiece production line.
Someday soon someone will publish a a Lives of the Poets that explains candidly and concisely why we have heard of each of the few poets of whom the newspapers have heard. The Kay Ryan entry will, in keeping with her poems, be short.
Yep, I’m happy to hear that it was he who was appointed. Maybe now he’ll finally win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
i like to vaguely know what the elites are doing to ensure that poetry doesn’t reach the masses, sure
Billy Collins writes glorified greeting cards.
The Lice is a masterpiece
if poet laureates get $$$
which one
I’m happy to live in a time where Merwin is the poet laureate. That guy deserves to make more money for his speaking engagements.
nnot sure that poet laureates ever acctually achieve their goal. i’m not sure why this position still exists
Collins put Poetry 360 over, which is something. Pinsky was tireless, and if the net result of his efforts is that he is the ambassador-for-life from poetry to TV and radio, at least poetry has a thoughtful ambassador.
The job used to be to write harmless poems about royalty in exchange for a barrel of sack. It was a good job, and if we had a monarchy I’d suggest we reset to those conditions.
(crickets)
I’m sorry, did I take your comment waaaay too seriously?
Wikipedia says the Poet Laureate is appointed by the “Librarian of Congress,” not the President, so I guess in your shit-house Obama will remain.
Yes, the shit-house I have constructed in the marginal space between my tongue and my cheek.
:/
Are you serious?
Damn. Feel like I just fell into a trap.
The Library of Congress and the CIA are both arms of the same capitalist state.
Billy Collins writes glorified greeting cards; if the promotion of the sub-pithy laced with warm-fuzzies and sprikled with new-age sophistries is what one longed for, Collins was The Man.
(sprikled!)
Agreed. Normally, I roll my eyes at the Poet Laureate thing, but I love Merwin – it makes me happy to see him be recognized.
:/
hmmm now i have a poem by the poet laureate taped to my wall, and i feel a little weird about it.
You want to see a laureate who didn’t do fuck all with the position, you find yourself a Louise Gluck. She’s probably cruising around Long Island Sound in a catered bus right now eating halved almonds. I don’t understand how people think this isn’t an essential appointment. What about Stanley Kunitz? Or has it just become gauche to actually research what poets do for the promotion of the art.
John Ashbery for U.S. Poet Laureate.
Augustine you are on a roll man. You are the MVP of htmlgiant right now.
i like to vaguely know what the elites are doing to ensure that poetry doesn’t reach the masses, sure
if poet laureates get $$$
Robert Pollard for Poet Laureate
which one
I coined “sprikled”.
:/
Are you serious?
The Library of Congress and the CIA are both arms of the same capitalist state.
Until someone weird/out there gets the post I could give a shit.
Hot or cold. Luke warm–spit out my mouth.
I just quoted Jesus. But that happens.
Uh, Denis Johnson and Rachel Zucker and Kenneth Rexroth split it for a year.
Billy Collins writes glorified greeting cards; if the promotion of the sub-pithy laced with warm-fuzzies and sprikled with new-age sophistries is what one longed for, Collins was The Man.
(sprikled!)
:/
35k annual salary
interesting, from wikipedia…
When the $35,000 stipend was originally instituted, the amount was quite large and was intended to allow the poet laureate to abandon worries about earning a living and devote his or her time entirely to writing poetry. That amount has remained the same over the years, so the intent of making it a nice living for a poet is no longer being fulfilled. Now it functions as a bonus for a poet who usually is teaching at a university and earns the bulk of his or her living that way.
John Ashbery for U.S. Poet Laureate.
Augustine you are on a roll man. You are the MVP of htmlgiant right now.
Robert Pollard for Poet Laureate
I coined “sprikled”.
Until someone weird/out there gets the post I could give a shit.
Hot or cold. Luke warm–spit out my mouth.
I just quoted Jesus. But that happens.
Uh, Denis Johnson and Rachel Zucker and Kenneth Rexroth split it for a year.
35k annual salary
interesting, from wikipedia…
When the $35,000 stipend was originally instituted, the amount was quite large and was intended to allow the poet laureate to abandon worries about earning a living and devote his or her time entirely to writing poetry. That amount has remained the same over the years, so the intent of making it a nice living for a poet is no longer being fulfilled. Now it functions as a bonus for a poet who usually is teaching at a university and earns the bulk of his or her living that way.
In what ways is Merwin not “weird/out there” enough for you?
I would go so far as to say Denis Johnson and Rexroth are arguably more conservative than Merwin.
probably
Damn. Feel like your worldview is “irreconcilable” with mine. Feel afraid.
it’s a jungle out there, man
In what ways is Merwin not “weird/out there” enough for you?
I would go so far as to say Denis Johnson and Rexroth are arguably more conservative than Merwin.
probably
Damn. Feel like your worldview is “irreconcilable” with mine. Feel afraid.
it’s a jungle out there, man
Envy writes in green.
Envy writes in green.
As is eeeeverything the fuck else, apparently.
As is eeeeverything the fuck else, apparently.