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
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
Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
My Blog: Of Delicious Recoil
http://stlukesguild.tumblr.com/
I remember this last summer. I read some Verlaine with this group.
My choice: Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin
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.)
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.
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.
Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
My Blog: Of Delicious Recoil
http://stlukesguild.tumblr.com/
Chinese Book of Songs / Classic of poetry / Shi Jing
Ovid's Metamorphoses
Psalms
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!)
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.Originally Posted by Neely
Well... since we're nominating multiples here... I throw in two more suggestions:
Holderlin- Selected Poems
Nerval- Selected Poems
Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
My Blog: Of Delicious Recoil
http://stlukesguild.tumblr.com/
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...
Last edited by The Ol' Man; 05-13-2011 at 08:10 PM.
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.
Last edited by The Ol' Man; 05-13-2011 at 08:17 PM.
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.
Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
My Blog: Of Delicious Recoil
http://stlukesguild.tumblr.com/
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