Comments on: Elizabeth Alexander and a (Very) Brief History of Inaugural Poetry http://www.clusterflock.org/2008/12/elizabeth-alexander-and-a-very-brief-history-of-inaugural-poetry.html a site about everything Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:27:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: M Sarki http://www.clusterflock.org/2008/12/elizabeth-alexander-and-a-very-brief-history-of-inaugural-poetry.html/comment-page-1#comment-322394 M Sarki Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:09:12 +0000 http://www.clusterflock.org/?p=16428#comment-322394 A little research pulled these gems up for your holiday cheer. Proceed with full knowledge that, for the record, I think these suck. http://www.elizabethalexander.net/poems.html#P A little research pulled these gems up for your holiday cheer. Proceed with full knowledge that, for the record, I think these suck.

http://www.elizabethalexander.net/poems.html#P

]]> By: M Sarki http://www.clusterflock.org/2008/12/elizabeth-alexander-and-a-very-brief-history-of-inaugural-poetry.html/comment-page-1#comment-322084 M Sarki Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:02:21 +0000 http://www.clusterflock.org/?p=16428#comment-322084 Based on the evidence of Ms. Alexander's poetry quoted in the NY Times, I, for one, am not counting on hearing anything that will especially move me except in the already heightened state of awe the inauguration will already have me in. I expect the poem to be topical, somewhat political, and definitely sentimental. I sincerely hope I am wrong. For the record, I was expecting a better choice out of Barack Obama who actually wrote some pretty good pieces as a young man. The skeptic in me believes this enterprise will futher advance the bad taste for poetry most individuals acquire quite early in education. I think for me it was in kindergarten. Based on the evidence of Ms. Alexander’s poetry quoted in the NY Times, I, for one, am not counting on hearing anything that will especially move me except in the already heightened state of awe the inauguration will already have me in. I expect the poem to be topical, somewhat political, and definitely sentimental. I sincerely hope I am wrong. For the record, I was expecting a better choice out of Barack Obama who actually wrote some pretty good pieces as a young man. The skeptic in me believes this enterprise will futher advance the bad taste for poetry most individuals acquire quite early in education. I think for me it was in kindergarten.

]]> By: Rick Neece http://www.clusterflock.org/2008/12/elizabeth-alexander-and-a-very-brief-history-of-inaugural-poetry.html/comment-page-1#comment-321893 Rick Neece Wed, 24 Dec 2008 01:36:53 +0000 http://www.clusterflock.org/?p=16428#comment-321893 Somewhere in the internets, I believe I've posted this before. Once skimming channels late at night, we happened upon the fabulous Harold Bloom visiting Charlie Rose. We caught Harold saying something like (likely I'll misquote or paraphrase) "In the words of the divine Oscar Wilde, 'all bad poetry is sincere' and if the poem Maya Angelou wrote for the Clinton inaugeral was any indication, her poetry is most astonishingly sincere." Personally, given what little I know of Bloom's aesthetic, but I <I>think</I> I get it, a little. I don't take this to mean he demeaned her for her poem or her <I>speech,</I> just that it won't <I>count</I> a hundred years hence. It wasn't <I>art.</I> I look forward to what Ms. Alexander delivers. And I'll hope to hear something that knocks my socks off. Something that will stand the test of time. I can't imagine being <I>asked</I> to deliver such, let alone be able to sleep, knowing what assholes like me might say about her effort. Somewhere in the internets, I believe I’ve posted this before. Once skimming channels late at night, we happened upon the fabulous Harold Bloom visiting Charlie Rose. We caught Harold saying something like (likely I’ll misquote or paraphrase) “In the words of the divine Oscar Wilde, ‘all bad poetry is sincere’ and if the poem Maya Angelou wrote for the Clinton inaugeral was any indication, her poetry is most astonishingly sincere.” Personally, given what little I know of Bloom’s aesthetic, but I think I get it, a little. I don’t take this to mean he demeaned her for her poem or her speech, just that it won’t count a hundred years hence. It wasn’t art.

I look forward to what Ms. Alexander delivers. And I’ll hope to hear something that knocks my socks off. Something that will stand the test of time. I can’t imagine being asked to deliver such, let alone be able to sleep, knowing what assholes like me might say about her effort.

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