Ben Lerner-Hatred of Poetry (1)

The Hatred of Poetry

Introduction

• Author: Ben Lerner

• Publisher: Fitzcarraldo Editions

Personal Experience with Poetry

• Recollection of Mrs. X's English assignment:

  • Required to memorize and recite a poem.

  • Chose Marianne Moore's short poem "Poetry."

  • The poem states: "I, too, dislike it."

  • Reflects on the ease of memorizing Shakespeare’s sonnets compared to Moore’s poem.

The Complexity of Moore's Poem

• Poems with structured rhyme schemes (like Shakespeare's) may be easier to memorize than free-form poems like Moore's.

• Moore's poem has a unique structure:

  • Contains a parallelism and awkwardness that serves as its form.

  • Contains interruptions and conjunctive adverbs which create difficulty in memorization.

• The author struggled during recitation:

  • Failed to accurately recite the poem three times, highlighting the challenge of its structure.

  • Reflects on how Moore's poem has stuck in his mind since 1993.

Dislike as a Common Experience

• The phrase "I, too, dislike it" manifests frequently in the author's life:

  • Resurfaces during poetry readings and teaching.

  • There exists a societal belief that poetry is dead or unrelatable.

• The relationship between the artist (poet) and the audience that dislikes poetry is examined:

  • Poetry is often viewed with contempt from both the audience and the creators.

The Cycle of Denunciation

• Discusses the pattern of critiques against poetry:

  • Mainstream publications regularly denounce poetry.

  • Such critiques lead to defensive responses from poetry advocates.

• The question posed: What kind of art is defined by this cycle of hate?

• The author identifies with the duality of loving and hating poetry.

The Story of Caedmon

• Historical anecdote about Caedmon, the first named poet in English:

  • Caedmon, originally a herdsman, receives a divine visit and is inspired to sing.

  • His initial poetic creation is said to be greater than the poems he later writes as a human.

• Grossman's interpretation:

  • Poetry is tied to a yearning for the transcendent.

  • Translations from dreams or divine experiences result in a loss of original grace and worth.

The Poet's Tragic Role

• The poet is seen as a tragic figure:

  • Desire to create transcendent poetry often results in compromised work when articulated in the mundane world.

  • The conflict between artistic aspiration and the limits of human expression.

The Concept of Virtual vs. Actual Poetry

• Grossman’s ideas presented:

  • Differentiation between a "virtual poem" (the ideal, transcendent form) and the "actual poem" (limited by reality).

• Poetry embodies the struggle between lofty aspirations and material limitations.

  • Acknowledges that actual poems betray their potential due to inherent constraints of language and representation.

Poetry and Human Experience

• Reflection on early teachings regarding poetry:

  • The idea that everyone's humanity is tied to their potential to create poetry.

  • Cliché phrases, like "You're a poet and you don't even know it," reflect an ingrained belief in universal poetic potential.

• The societal narrative shaping perceptions of poetry and self-identity as a poet.