tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977200171944655851.post9038098986774289574..comments2024-03-20T07:44:30.929-07:00Comments on Riffs & Ripples from ZenRiver Gardens: Deahl/Faiers & DiDiodato discussions on People's PoetryChris Faiers/crickethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14932656571471814725noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977200171944655851.post-87859898619287410342012-07-08T16:57:38.608-07:002012-07-08T16:57:38.608-07:00James,
the academic is generally unfavourable to ...James,<br /><br />the academic is generally unfavourable to the people's poet (as I've discovered) for two reasons: 1. academics don't write or don't encourage anyone to write til they've been vetted and approved by the right'committees' or 'review boards' and then university presses who round out the process (I ask you, Who would ever have published Silliman's monstrosity of book of poems titled "the Alphabet" if not the Alabama Press to which, of course, Silliman is attached via his 'review board' friends Bernstein and Lazer?)I've always maintained that the academics and, in Canada, the arts funding regime, have virtually monopolized publication in the arts.<br /><br />2. academics who happen to teach writing, working in cahoots with the academic publishing industry, create instant ready-made audiences (in the form of their own classes)for their own published goods. Academics can't publish under any other more normal conditions--let's face it, who's going to read an academic's dull droning prose if they don't have to?-- It's for this reason I detest Kootenay-style writing regimes since academics posing as litterateurs create a need for the services only they can provide (It's sort of like the iPhone user's addiction to Apps: without them the addiction to instant texting and networking can't be fed).<br /><br />I also maintain that the academics are directly responsible for the terrible state of poetry in Canada. This conclusion follows directly from the above-mentioned two observations re: academic presses. If the public isn't the final arbiter of taste, and the academic has free rein to do whatever they wish in their classes,the type of poetry that 'sells' and will be published in mainstream mags will always tend to be wildly experimental, elitist and anti-communal.Conrad DiDiodatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18312831623791642286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977200171944655851.post-52214567455781701472012-07-08T09:57:31.382-07:002012-07-08T09:57:31.382-07:00Great discussion, guys
I'd just like to add t...Great discussion, guys<br /><br />I'd just like to add that (imo) the real American exponent of the People's Poetry movement ideal in Canada was probably Cid Corman. He worked tirelessly all his life (mostly from Kyoto Japan) to publish, support and encourage mostly non-mainstream, non-academic poets. There was once a Corman-Souster relationship that resulted in Souster's inclusion in some issues of Corman's "Origin" literary mag.<br /><br />But certainly Milt Acorn is the quintessential people's poet: and particularly for the reasons that made him also(from what people who knew him have told me) instantly likeable as a person: I guess it's true to the say the people's poet emphasizes the person of the poet over any fake ('illustrated')personas or methodologies. The poem is the person, the poem being always the indelible imprint of the person.<br /><br />I'd like one day soon to continue this vital discussion at my site.<br /><br />A good day to you both!Conrad DiDiodatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18312831623791642286noreply@blogger.com