| Martin Wallace
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02-16-2004 10:31 AM ET (US)
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Kathryn
It was indeed the Stevie Smith poem. I included that note as a kind of snide aside--for all that UTA spoke of the power of poetry, comments like that (of which she made many) showed that she didn't really read much (other than her own, of course.)
I truly hope that people here read my comments like that in the spirit in which I intend them. I'm not trying to be insufferably pedantic, and the best of us make mistakes from time to time. It's just that the hyperbolic talk of poetry followed by an ignorance of it (worse, sometimes a proud ignorance of it) fill me with despair.
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Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer
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48
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02-16-2004 09:28 AM ET (US)
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Martin, Was that bpnichol channeling Stevie Smith or did he also write a poem by that same title?
Not Waving but Drowning
Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
-Stevie Smith
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| Martin Wallace
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46
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02-16-2004 08:38 AM ET (US)
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Edited by author 02-16-2004 09:02 AM
First of all, I have no idea what "smug self posting" means. (Do I have a smug self who posts for me? Or is it smug self-posting? i.e. as opposed to having someone else post for me?)
Secondly, you seem to have misread my comments, which were not directed at the ESS reading series per se, but rather at the pretentious hangers-on who attend the series. You are right that the ESS series itself has worked to bring some wonderful readers into Halifax. As I said, David Rimmington is a very hard worker and I always admire anyone who puts on a reading series, even if ultimately I'm unhappy with the results. I tend not to go to ESS readings anymore, but that has more to do with their militant pro-smoking policy and the busyness of my life. I did not see the Moritz or Thorpe readings, but I agree that they would have been wonderful to see, especially during Thorpe's problems with Mount Allison. (As I recall he recently won a small victory in that saga.)
Any humour or, as you call it, "HAHA", I convey at poetry readings is not directed against dignity. Dignity is a fine thing, and I agree that Moritz has it in abundance. My humour is directed against the ignorant self-importance of those whose self-images as great poets are blissfully untouched by even the slightest acquaintence with talent, or, more importantly, effort and commitment. Perhaps you imagine that the two examples of "poetry" I provided are themselves parodies--they, unfortunately, are not.
Parody itself is not "fodder." You seem to subscribe to the unfortunate modern view that parody is simply "making fun"--the spectre of inferiors making easy fun of their superiors. I find this view limiting. At its best, parody helps us see its object in a new, insightful way. The parodic lines of Pope's "Essay on Criticism" are arguably mean-spirited, but they also serve to show, by slightly tweaked example, the banality of the poetry he was criticizing.
The poem I read, incidentally, was not a parody of bpNichol, but an attempt to join in the great play of language that his work embodies for me. It was sincerely written and sincerely read. The second "poet"I mentioned, however, felt that such word-play somehow sinned against the greatness of poetry (She also told me that she particularly hated the bpNichol poem "Not Waving, but Drowning.") After admonishing me with a lecture on the importance of poetry ("Poetry can survive to the end of time, if you truly believe in it!"),she got up to read the "up the ass" poem. I'd like to think I could write such a scene for a comic novel, but I suspect that people would find it contrived.
Your view of poetic "dignity" closely parallels that of UTA girl (In fact you might say that her view is a parody of yours.) Tell you what, Dr. Neilson. If by unimaginable chance all three of us are in the ESS, I'll introduce her to you and tell her that you are very interested in her views on poetry and would like to discuss them at length with her. IF it proves more than you can stand, give me a signal and I'll clutch my stomach and scream "My colitis! Is there a doctor in the house?" I can't countenance exposing even you to her for very long.
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| kevinja
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02-13-2004 12:19 PM ET (US)
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Edited by author 02-13-2004 12:24 PM
Thanks for the EsS horror stories. When I started putting off readings in Ontario i refused to have an open mice segment. too many times did i have to sit through "I wrote this poem on my way up to the podium tonight" Brutal. Since I've been doing readings here in St. John's I have reluctantly agreed to have an open mic segment the odd time. The key, i've found, is to be very clear that they only have five minutes. I've actually said, "now some people have signed up for the open mic part of the evening. if they go over five minutes you have my permission to pelt them with beer" I then usually then make a reference to the legendary Sloan show when the band insulted a member of the audience only be rained on by hundreds of cups of Jockey Club.
There was no open mic the night I read at the Shoe and I didn't really meet anyone from the writing community. I had a bunch from the Khyber there though cause I'd spent the day there designing a CD cover.
Halifax is nice. I'd like to go back.
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| Shane Neilson
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02-13-2004 11:21 AM ET (US)
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Martin:
Glad to see your smug self posting again. Personally, I've been to the ESS for the poetry, not for parody fodder. Often it was bad (I remember the gothic werewolf guy, I remember the demented and drunk English professor) but that wasn't the series at its best, was it? My ESS high points: an Al Moritz reading as well as a Michael Thorpe one when he was embroiled in his UNB professor emeritus brouhaha. Both read with dignity.
DIGNITY, Martin. Not Haha. Keep making fun, Martin. But be careful not to miss any poetry while you're cracking jokes.
Shane
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| Zach Wells
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02-13-2004 10:46 AM ET (US)
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Edited by author 02-13-2004 10:47 AM
I have yet to attend an ESS reading, but Brian Bartlett's gonna be there on the 24th. I hear he's working on some satanic nature poems just for the occasion.
Oh yeah, and in honour of Valentine's Day, I'll be reading Milton Acorn's "I Shout Love" at Salvation on Sunday the 15th.
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