16.12.06

Poetry & abstraction

Some rudimentary muzangs on poetry, art and music.

Correct me if I'm wrong (in other words, comments invited). I've noticed that poetry magazines and e-zines that include art seem to prefer realistic or semi-realistic over abstract art. This seems to go hand in hand with the kind of poetry they tend to publish, which could also be termed to be more or less realistic. The kind that appears to be proud to be the opposite of Robert Bly's "leaping poetry" idea. At worst, I'd call it "clod-stuck poetry."

It is exemplified very well by the stuff Ted Kooser, ex-U.S. Poet Laureate, digs up for his weekly e-mails.

You can subscribe to it under http://www.americanlifeinpoetry.org/

14.12.06

Planeten stürzten aus ihren Bahnen,

alle Materie versammelte sich in einer Ecke –
Gott hatte das Labor genommen
und ihm einen anderen Raum verpasst.

So geschehen in dem Gedicht Ein Laboratorium des Weißrussen Viktar Licvinau.