Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Adrienne Rich on poetry and politics
If you haven't, also check out Rich's book of essays What Is Found There: Notes on Poetry and Politics.
Yeah, Ms. Rich's words are not only philosophically sound but practical -- i.e., helpful as a blueprint for aesthetic action.
Actually the reason for this note is something else. Is it possible to get your email address? Mine is rebsalerno@comcast.net. I'm a writer too and have 5 poems in the current Pemmican as well as poems and an interview in the current Avatar Review.
At any rate, I wanted to touch base since I've been coming back to your site for about a year now.
Robert Bohm
I liked 'Lies, Secrets and Silence' 20 years ago.
In the 'poetry and politics' piece-this sentence of Adrienne RIch's seems useful -
'What, who is this about?” is not the essential question. A poem is not about; it is out of and to.'
But I don't agree with the next bit - it's too general and cliched -
' Passionate language in movement. The deep structure is always musical, and physical—as breath, as pulse'
A flat, monotonous poem or a stertorous or choked and shallow poem can be just as powerful/good/interesting as whatever 'passionate language in movement' might be.
You're right though - it's a nice piece.
All the best,
Pam
Do you happen to have Adrienne Rich's email address? I wish to take her permission to translate this piece into Hindi.
Bharat
I don't have an e-mail address for Adrienne Rich. Ms. Rich and I don't know each other personally, and we are not in contact with each other.
Adrienne Rich is listed in the online Directory in the Poets & Writers website. The address (postal address and e-mail address) listed for her there are at the Steven Barclay Agency, which represents her.
The e-mail address (at the Barclay agency) is: steven [at] barclayagency [dot] com.
Of course if you e-mail to the above, substitute the "@" symbol and the "." as needed, and remove the extra spaces.
The website for the Barclay agency is at www.barclayagency.com.
I hope this helps. And thanks for coming by and reading and commenting.
Thanks for the information.
May I have your email address as well? I'm interested in translating few of your poems (especially 'One,Two,Many Vietnams)too?
Bharat
You're certainly welcome to translate some of my poems.
You can e-mail me at lyledaggett [at] att [dot] net
Again of course substituting the @ symbol and " . " as needed, and removing the extra spaces.
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