Sher’s Comments (group member since Nov 23, 2020)

Sher’s comments from the Nonfiction Reading - Only the Best group.

oh... I wondered if I don't really care for the poet's work, will I like their non verse - prose essays on craft? I am so sorry to say-- no, no. It has had the effect of beyond just not to taste--- She rings out of me a strong opinion on many sides. Still I found some ideas memorable and quotable, but it is my last Gluck.

_Old Poets_ is fantastic -- I have finished the long chapters on Frost and Dylan Thomas. Hall knew them pretty well, and he spent a fair amount of time with them. His insights into these poets' personalities and art is astounding. Riveting reading. When I complete the book, I will report back. I did not like the collection of essays Hall wrote at the very end of his life, and when I began _Old Poets_ I did not realize the book was written by Hall until later. If I had known, I might not have started _Old Poets_. Hall has added chapter on Marianne Moore, which I am very interested in reading.

p.s. I had to switch over to read a Willa Cather novel for another group- and so sadly set down Thoreaus baSED ESSAYS, but as soon as Cather is done, I will go back to the Thoreau essays.

And John- did you read Louise Gluck's Proofs and Theories ?
Proofs & Theories: Essays on Poetry


or Old Poets: Reminiscences and Opinions

recently enough to have a little discussion?

Try subsiding to Rattle

Check out Rattle.com

beautiful journal

I believe 25 a year

Superior in quality and spirit to Poetry Foundation, which I cancelled because the poems were so _______

Thanks for the links John— I will be sure to watch them.

Also - I finished ….oops I am on IPad and can’t link books. I will come back when I have my laptop.

John-- thanks for keeping us updated on your reading. I always love to see what you are reading!

Ron:
You inspired me! I started reading _Poet Warrior_ last night. I'll let you know how I like it. Interesting about Harjo merging music with her poetry. I will see if I can hear that on YouTube. Thanks Larry for that bit.

Larry wrote: "Sher wrote: "I see - I have never activated Apple TV, and I have a new Mac Air and a new iPad... thanks John..."

Sher, one series on Apple+ is absolutely a must watch show ... and that's Ted Lasso."

Larry- what is it about...?

Ron wrote: "One style of poetry I enjoy is Native American/Indigenous poetry. I love Joy Harjo's work.

I mostly have anthologies of Indigenous poetry but they've been pretty good."

Hi Ron:
I am so glad you mentioned Joy Harjo's work. I just bought her autobiography that was published recently --Poet Warrior: A Memoir. Have you read it?

I haven't started yet...

I see - I have never activated Apple TV, and I have a new Mac Air and a new iPad... thanks John...

Excellent to hear about this John-- thanks for sharing.

John wrote: "I started the third and final season of Dickinson. I must say I find it quite good. One of the episodes has Emily traveling forward 100 years in time and meeting the poet Sylvia Plath. And even tho..."

Hi John:
Where do you see this series? Amazon? Netflix? Any of the pay channels that I could get access to it?

Also wanted to ask you have you ever heard of Christopher Smart , the English poet . And specifically his wild work called Jubilate Agno? Someone I know is voicing this long poem... and I am reading and listening to a section of it per day-- reminds me so much of William Blake and his work.

John:
I'm so glad you shared the release of this book -- as you know the past 4 years I have been doing this 19th C - Transcendentalism study...

I will probably listen to this book on Audible and recommend it for the dec read in Nature Literature group.

I wonder though -- Thoreau has taken on a life that extends beyond Thoreau and this is interesting. In many ways that is what I wish to explore in the book.

Hi John:
I very, very much enjoy poets read their own works. I've watched quite a few this year-- I wonder what Louise Gluck would be like...?

Thanks Larry! You are always a good sport! Smile...

So, Bruce's book is about an old fisherman in SE Alaska who came to Alaska in 1932 by rowing from Seattle in a small boat -- sometimes used a sail and had on board a cocker spaniel named Patsy. It's the story of this man's life as told through the two years that my husband commercial fished for salmon with Oran. Oran was in his nineties at the time. Lots of illustrations and does justice to an exceptional trapper and fisherman who was an avid adventurer and outdoorsman. It's been a great pandemic project for Bruce- though he began interviewing and recording and photographing Oran with this book in mind years back.

Thanks for the update on your book Carol-- I've been really curious about how the project was coming, so I am happy to know these details. I hope people get to read it!

Hi Carol:
I found it by doing a search for the topic on Google. The poem is that famous it came right up - it is by Phillip Larkin called The Mower I believe. I read it out loud yesterday as preface to a story about an unintended death of a coyote.

No poetry courses right now- just reading and writing a lot.

I hope your book is still coming along.

My husband is writing a book, well actually he is in the final stages working with his editor and publisher- what a long, long process! It's been so many years -- 10 plus in brining his project together.

John and Larry- I am looking for a poem that I need to find today, and I think you both know this poem. Title or poet's name would help. It is a famous poem about a man who runs over a hedgehog while he is mowing... I think it is a hedgehog....

Can you reminder what the name of the poet is or the title of poem?

Thanks!

I also would say that with some poets --reading their work repeatedly can really help. My present example is William Wordsworth-- the last 4 poems I read of his -- slowly became comprehensible with re-reads. And this felt really good. It feels so satisfying to feel like you are getting it... whatever that it is--even if someone else does not see or make the same connection.

John wrote: "Sher wrote: "John:
this book is a collection of poems--right? It's not a book about craft?

I could not tell for Sure based on the description"

Yes, it is a collection of poems. I am halfway throu..."

Incomprehensible sounds like a. utter drag -- to me. Too many other great poets who can speak right to you! Good to know John...

Thanks John. I have had some close retinal calls myself, so I was curious. Rest up and be well... I hope you are feeling 100 percent soon.

John wrote: "Larry wrote: "John wrote: "I went to the eye doctor yesterday for a follow up visit, as I was diagnosed previously with cataracts. Not severe, but an eventual issue. When I was there, they found a ..."

John:
Did you have any eye or seeing problems? Do you feel any residual from the procedure?