tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post883189863378664196..comments2024-03-27T03:35:18.721-04:00Comments on Pansy Poetics: A Q&A About Pansy Poetics and a Coming AttractionSteve Fellnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383222975171349962noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-62171510134216955162009-04-22T00:30:00.000-04:002009-04-22T00:30:00.000-04:00I needed a martini in hand to read all the comment...I needed a martini in hand to read all the comments on this post. Of course, it doesn't take much for me to put a martini in my hand.Dustin Brookshirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13921094348461306365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-65356160231995498322009-04-21T01:34:00.000-04:002009-04-21T01:34:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-67863947326536980442009-04-20T14:46:00.000-04:002009-04-20T14:46:00.000-04:00Criticism is an act of love".
But what kind of act...Criticism is an act of love".<br />But what kind of act of love?<br />Some acts of love are distinctly unloving and some criticism can show the wrong kind of love.<br />Given the idea that the gay poetic community is a "myth", literally a "mouthing", I think Nik has the wrong sexual metaphor. Living in the UK, I have an advantage, or is it a disadvantage, in that I read poems and have no real contact with personalities. I don't--and this is both related and off at a tangent--make the distinction between a poet and their work. Perhaps, I have been lucky, but the gay poets I have communicated with show both honesty in their writing and their words beyond the poem. I remember Collin posting a comment (elsewhere) to the effect of "Give me good writing first". I hope I quote him right. If so, his sentiments are the same as mine. I think Collin is right about something else too. It is easy "To break a butterfly upon a wheel." Those critics who want to waste their time on bashing poor poems/poets (as with the Dickman brothers, unfortunate name, Pope could have had so much fun with that) are wasting their time, shame on them. Personally, I was brought up in the UK education system--all niceness and quietude, if you believe another well-known poet/personality--oh, how wrong! I respect hard criticisms and ruthless judgements: that comes from operating in Pound circles. The worst thing that could happen to the gay poetic community is a "circle jerk/love fest." Let us all love another because we belong to a minority and therefore stick together to protect our minority status. (Forget poets making pansy chains and sappy anthologies). That's not what I hear, though, as I read gay poets/poets who are gay. I hear tenacity and passion. I have been thinking about "Orpheus in the Bronx." Yes, there are ideas I'd question, challenge, and disown. But the tone of that volume is Reginald Shepherd's real triumph...it is the tone of a man who understood the spirit of criticism...it's an essay on man and what a man dared to compose it. To return full circle. Criticism is an act of love. Love needs to be interrogated more. AMOR-ROMA. Critical sensibilities depend upon love and culture needs sane criticism, now more than ever.A.H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08716463684593767622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-82036197296855336592009-04-20T13:57:00.000-04:002009-04-20T13:57:00.000-04:00Collin,
Thanks for your characteristically passio...Collin,<br /><br />Thanks for your characteristically passionate response.<br /><br />Envious? Of course! Of course I'm envious of a lot of the poets on here. They have drive and energy. I'm lost. And I don't mean that sarcastically. I hope that I made that clear in this post.<br /><br />Desperate? I admitted that I don't know why I want to continue writing poems. Is this blog a desperate act to regain my own drive and energy? Of course. I admit that, too.<br /><br />Do I believe that my critiques are artful and thoughtful? You bet. <br /><br />I know you are much busier than me. And I mean that in all seriousness. But if another post incites you, I'd love for you to cut and past the particularity in a comment. Textual examples always help me.<br /><br />But again I know that is asking a lot from a stranger. I did, as I know you'll attest to, beg you to put a link to my tiny blog. And you did. That is more than enough for anyone to give me.<br /><br />I'm also shocked I get any hits. I'm happy to get the three or four I do a day. I'm not like you. I'm small potatoes.Steve Fellnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11383222975171349962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-46463361224411655772009-04-20T13:30:00.000-04:002009-04-20T13:30:00.000-04:00Steve, I think what I'm tired of is that there's a...Steve, I think what I'm tired of is that there's a whole heap of criticism -- and not constructive -- and not enough writing going on. Anyone can take to a blog and deconstruct another poet's work, when sometimes they should be concentrating on their own. Your posts of late seem to come from somewhere left of "critique." While I suppose you're trying to be self-effacing, many of the posts come across as envious and even a, I hate to say it, hint of desperation. If you want to call that anti-intellectual, by all means. <br /><br />Nicole, what are you talking about? I never said anything about a circle jerk/love fest, but I think there are ways to critique and review that speak to the work and don't tread into the personal. There has been much on the Internet lately that has veered away from critique into personal attack and a whiff (and sometimes all out reek) of jealousy.Collin Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777180960376039699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-3462252112396250272009-04-20T11:03:00.000-04:002009-04-20T11:03:00.000-04:00Collin,
So the only way to forward to gay poet "ca...Collin,<br />So the only way to forward to gay poet "cause" is to all band together in mutual love fest/circle jerk? <br />NicoleNikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15795554401570611521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-63406457165953417372009-04-20T09:35:00.000-04:002009-04-20T09:35:00.000-04:00Collin,
I don't like bitterness, either.
There a...Collin,<br /><br />I don't like bitterness, either.<br /><br />There are a lot of poets who I don't like. And I think they are amazing poets. There's a lot of poets who I do like. And I think are weak poets. For me, to base a critical analysis on a poet's personality is unfair.<br /><br />I've only met three gay poets in my life. So it's impossible for me to judge based on charisma or the lack of it.<br /><br />I fear, and I'm reluctant in saying this, out of an anticipation it will make you reel, but I do wonder if there is a bit of an anti-intellectualism operating in your comment.<br /><br />That's at least how I see it. And I fear that some other gay poets suffer from it as well. Don't worry: your affliction is shared by many. :)<br /><br />A good review is an engagement. Not necesssaily an attack.<br /><br />For me, criticism is an act of love. I have to care about your poems to say something. Rather than just letting them go.<br /><br />It takes a lot of time to write these posts. That's why I'm going to fire myself from this blog after one full year from when I began.Steve Fellnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11383222975171349962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360167919886596728.post-12145928140473273052009-04-19T18:44:00.000-04:002009-04-19T18:44:00.000-04:00I don't know what you've got against Mark either. ...I don't know what you've got against Mark either. He's a lovely man and his poetry is gorgeous. I've rarely commented here because I think many of the posts are counterproductive. Perhaps C. Dale and Charles don't rip apart other poets on their blogs for that reason. There are a number of fantastic poets out there -- gay and straight -- who are total assholes and their work has been elevated far beyond its merits. That's not strictly a "gay poet" problem, but systemic in poetry. When there's a lot of bitterness out there, such as the kind aimed at the Dickman brothers, it starts to become unseemly and just plain old whining.Collin Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777180960376039699noreply@blogger.com