Welcome to our weekly column offering perspectives on lit mag publishing, with contributions from readers, writers and editors around the world. Contemporary writers are more than familiar with navigating the cultural minefield that is the modern literary scene. But what would happen today if a writer tried to subvert a particular style of poetry by fooling a significant publisher into taking seriously a work that parodies that style? Thereby hangs this true tale that includes an obscenity trial and the CIA long the way.
I love it! As a poet myself, I want to be understood, to use vivid language and metaphors that everyone can understand. I teach poetry. I am appalled at some contemporary poetry that prides itself on being difficult to understand and "fresh" and "new". Give me Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, Billy Collins, Adrienne Rich, Dorianne Laux and dozens of others, whose language enriches the heart and touches the soul.
David Baker offered advice to poets suitable for T-shirts. For example, “Don’t be afraid of being clear.” But I think another good T-shirt slogan might be “Don’t forget to have fun.” These poems are definitely fun, and the methods used to construct them sound fun too (and maybe not so different from how Eliot constructed “The Waste Land”). Perhaps also a good way of writing something when blocked or weary of writing about oneself.
We could probably use more poetic parodies. Conscious ones are not all that common, maybe because fewer people would recognize the work being parodied than, say, a song (Weird Al) or a novel (Shamela) or a play (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead). Writing a parody is also good exercise. For example, try writing a parody of the first five lines of Tennyson’s “Ulysses” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45392/ulysses), which in our post-heroic age sounds dangerously close to parody.
Fascinating post! I rather like some of the poems - the 'authors' used what is now considered a legitimate technique, and I think the resulting poems have some rather splendid images in them. I'm reminded of a hoax 'prize poem' that I wrote, containing what I decided were the components of a prize-winning poem. It won first prize and £150 for me in a poetry competition. - like the poems of 'Ern', though, - it wasn't bad. Parodies can be better than intended!
Wait!? Somebody already took Angry Penguins as a name for a journal? And, all the way back in 1940? Well shucks, I'll have to cross that off my list, lol.
In all seriousness, I kind of like that excerpt from "Petit Testament." But, then again, I've a soft spot in my heart for absurdist art.
Great post - fun and informative historic dive
I love it! As a poet myself, I want to be understood, to use vivid language and metaphors that everyone can understand. I teach poetry. I am appalled at some contemporary poetry that prides itself on being difficult to understand and "fresh" and "new". Give me Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, Billy Collins, Adrienne Rich, Dorianne Laux and dozens of others, whose language enriches the heart and touches the soul.
Bravo! That was definitely worth reading and confirms some private prejudices.
David Baker offered advice to poets suitable for T-shirts. For example, “Don’t be afraid of being clear.” But I think another good T-shirt slogan might be “Don’t forget to have fun.” These poems are definitely fun, and the methods used to construct them sound fun too (and maybe not so different from how Eliot constructed “The Waste Land”). Perhaps also a good way of writing something when blocked or weary of writing about oneself.
We could probably use more poetic parodies. Conscious ones are not all that common, maybe because fewer people would recognize the work being parodied than, say, a song (Weird Al) or a novel (Shamela) or a play (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead). Writing a parody is also good exercise. For example, try writing a parody of the first five lines of Tennyson’s “Ulysses” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45392/ulysses), which in our post-heroic age sounds dangerously close to parody.
Of course what they wrote as Ern is art. Call it satire but there are probably some great lines, great images even in an Earnest satire.
“Art is made when the painter’s brush slips”. Zero Mostel
Yowza! This was a worthwhile read. Thank you.
Wow! Especially about that last poem written by Ern - as in Ernest?
Fascinating post! I rather like some of the poems - the 'authors' used what is now considered a legitimate technique, and I think the resulting poems have some rather splendid images in them. I'm reminded of a hoax 'prize poem' that I wrote, containing what I decided were the components of a prize-winning poem. It won first prize and £150 for me in a poetry competition. - like the poems of 'Ern', though, - it wasn't bad. Parodies can be better than intended!
Wait!? Somebody already took Angry Penguins as a name for a journal? And, all the way back in 1940? Well shucks, I'll have to cross that off my list, lol.
In all seriousness, I kind of like that excerpt from "Petit Testament." But, then again, I've a soft spot in my heart for absurdist art.
Great article, btw.
As a coda to Ern's story, comes this one about an author faking their own death and then returning. Curiouser and curiouser. tinyurl.com/7cehy2r5