Poesy Book club

[Alexander III]

I was wondering if anyone wanted to start a poetry bookclub? The plan I was thinking is that we choose a certain author and pick a concise selection of his poesy. However instead of doing a common poet let us try and do a poet is who not as "popular as some big names" and I was also thinking a non english one, but we shall have nominations to determine which poet. I say we could discuss two or one poem a week depending upon circumstance. How many people would be interested

[stlukesguild]

We have had an on-again-off again poetry "club". Among the books we discussed were the Collected Poems of Theodore Rothke, My Sister-Life by Boris Paternak, Cuttlefish Bones by Eugenio Montale, Canti by Leopardi, Selected Poems by Paul Verlaine, and a couple of others that I can't immediately recall. We usually began such discussions by nominating a book or poet... preferably one outside of the usual fair we all read in college... yet one that is readily accessible. We then chose our three favorite choices from the list with points being awarded 3 for first, 2 for second, 1 for third. The selection with the highest points wins. We commonly begin such discussions by sending a PM to the "usual suspects": JBI, Neely, Jozany, Virgil, MortalTerror, Petrarch'sLove, Quasimodo, myself and any other regular posters on the poetry boards... but the discussion is open to all.

If this sounds fine to you, I'll throw out the first nomination, a book I haven't read in a good many years:

Octavio Paz Sunstone

[Buh4Bee]

I remember this last summer. I read some Verlaine with this group.

[quasimodo1]

My choice: Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin

[Alexander III]

Great to hear St.Lukes

I will also make two nominations

1) Rilke (I know he is not exactly outside the usual fair, but there is something about him which is truly captivating)

2)Pier Paolo Pasolini ( This would be my first choice, the man was a remarkable novelist and film director and poet, yet while most admire his genius of novel and film, his poesy is in my opinion his greatest artistic achievement. Sadly in the non-italian world he is not well known.)

[JBI]

I would like to start the thing up again, and was tempted to bump the threads. The reason I didn't was because I honestly doubt I can locate any modern books, even in English. Then ultimately, unless it is a classic work, a Chinese poet, or someone sends me the poems, I ultimately will be unable to participate.

[stlukesguild]

1. Octavio Paz- Sunstone
2. W.S. Merwin- Shadow of Sirius
3. Pier Paolo Pasolini- Collected Poems
4. Ranier Maria Rilke- (what volume? New Poems, Uncollected Poems, etc...?)


These are our choices so far. Ideally we shouldn't limit the number of choices (which tends to favor the first posters) but rather establish a deadline: Monday 8:00 PM EST?). At that time we can start voting. Hopefully we'll get some more nominations soon.

As for JBI... we can certainly take turns sending you the poems in question through the net... unless we end up discussing something epic.:sosp:

[JBI]

Chinese Book of Songs / Classic of poetry / Shi Jing
Ovid's Metamorphoses
Psalms

[Sano]

I'd love to participate! I'd nominate both Wallace Stevens' Harmonium and the Three Hundred Tang Poems, since both are avaiable on line (and are great! :) )

[LitNetIsGreat]

I was also interested in the Chinese Book of Songs (are these available online?) but I'm easy, I'm happy to go along with whatever is selected.

[JBI]

I was also interested in the Chinese Book of Songs (are these available online?) but I'm easy, I'm happy to go along with whatever is selected.
Legge‘s ok translation is online, Walley's translation with a forward by Stephen Owen is the ideal translation though.

[stlukesguild]

Well... since we're nominating multiples here... I throw in two more suggestions:

Holderlin- Selected Poems
Nerval- Selected Poems

[The Ol' Man]

A fine idea, but I don't expect it to operate uniformly. In other words, one participant
is going to rave on his chosen book at the neglect of another with his chosen book,
and in the end I'm sure we will have a jubilant bunch of disregardful posters. But,
again, I am in favour of the idea...

[The Ol' Man]

My suggestions are;

Robert Lowell: Collected Poems.
Dante: Inferno
Or, to be vague, a book of poetry. Tersely put.

Also, regarding foreign poets, there might be the dilemma of differing translations, and therefore
discussions might be restricted.

[stlukesguild]

1. Octavio Paz- Sunstone
2. W.S. Merwin- Shadow of Sirius
3. Pier Paolo Pasolini- Collected Poems
4. Ranier Maria Rilke- (what volume? New Poems, Uncollected Poems, etc...?)
5. The Chinese Book of Songs
6. The Psalms
7. Ovid's Metamorphoses
8. Wallace Stevens- Harmonium
9. Three Hundred Tang Poems
10. Holderlin- Selected Poems
11. Nerval- Selected Poems

Here are our choices thus far. I'm hoping for more nominations/participants before the Monday 8 PM EST deadline. At that time it would be helpful if the nominees posted a brief bio/synopsis on their nominees to help others make their decisions.

[stlukesguild]

Rilke? I was somehow within the delusion that ''he'' was a 'she'...

Must of been that Maria thing.

George Sand... not a guy.:lol:

[mortalterror]

Rilke? I was somehow within the delusion that ''he'' was a 'she'...

Must of been that Maria thing.

A friend of mine asked me that when he saw me reading Rilke in high school and I was like "No man, everybody in Europe is named Mary, whether they're boys or girls. It's a Catholic thing. Watch this." And I went into the next room with him to were his brother had just brought his new Scandinavian girlfriend (whom I hadn't met) and said "Hey, what's your name?" "Mary." "There, I told you."

[LitNetIsGreat]

Legge‘s ok translation is online, Walley's translation with a forward by Stephen Owen is the ideal translation though.

Thanks. That's some book 1100+ pages!

Actually, as a second could I also throw in Dylan Thomas? I've just got a selection of short stories by him so I wouldn't mind looking at his poetry as well. Official website here if anyone is interested, thanks:
http://www.dylanthomas.com/index.cfm?articleid=19699

[JBI]

Thanks. That's some book 1100+ pages!

Actually, as a second could I also throw in Dylan Thomas? I've just got a selection of short stories by him so I wouldn't mind looking at his poetry as well. Official website here if anyone is interested, thanks:
http://www.dylanthomas.com/index.cfm?articleid=19699

No it isn't - Legge's contains all the Confucian classics - there are only 300 odd poems, almost all of them less than a page each.

[LitNetIsGreat]

No it isn't - Legge's contains all the Confucian classics - there are only 300 odd poems, almost all of them less than a page each.

Oh, I see, I see. That book sounds like a good investment then.

[stlukesguild]

1. Octavio Paz- Sunstone
2. W.S. Merwin- Shadow of Sirius
3. Pier Paolo Pasolini- Collected Poems
4. Ranier Maria Rilke- (what volume? New Poems, Uncollected Poems, etc...?)
5. The Chinese Book of Songs
6. The Psalms
7. Ovid's Metamorphoses
8. Wallace Stevens- Harmonium
9. Three Hundred Tang Poems
10. Holderlin- Selected Poems
11. Nerval- Selected Poems
12. Dylan Thomas- Collected Poems

[YesNo]

I found a book of poems by Carlos Cortez, de KANSAS a CALIFAS & back to CHICAGO, while browsing through the local library today. After reading it, I thought it was worth checking out to re-read at home.

So something by Cortez would be my choice.

Here is a web site with some of his work: http://www.rebelgraphics.org/carloscortez.html

[quasimodo1]

Let me add James L. Dickey to this group.

[mortalterror]

I recently fell in love with the poems of Cavafy. I wouldn't mind reading those again.

[stlukesguild]

1. Octavio Paz- Sunstone
2. W.S. Merwin- Shadow of Sirius
3. Pier Paolo Pasolini- Collected Poems
4. Ranier Maria Rilke- (what volume? New Poems, Uncollected Poems, etc...?)
5. The Chinese Book of Songs
6. The Psalms
7. Ovid's Metamorphoses
8. Wallace Stevens- Harmonium
9. Three Hundred Tang Poems
10. Holderlin- Selected Poems
11. Nerval- Selected Poems
12. Dylan Thomas- Collected Poems
13. Carlos Cortez
14. James L. Dickey
15. Constantine P. Cavafy

[JBI]

how are we doing this poll? No voting for your own?

[Alexander III]

Ok nomination time over. I will put up a poll in the morning. AS for how to do it, I was thinking everyone get's 3 votes and the only rule is that you cannot vote for the books you nominated. Does that sound fine?

[Sano]

Sounds ok to me. Can't wait fot the poll! :)

[JBI]

That's fine, nobody cheat :p