Just finished reading this book and loved it - The Poetry Lesson
by Andrei Codrescu. I don't do reviews but if you enjoy poetry, have a curious nature and a sense of humour, give it a go. The back cover blurb sums it up beautifully. 'The Poetry Lesson is a must-have manual for poetry monsters; a book of caveats for the peddlers of "creative" snake oil; an archaeo-psychological scan of instantly obsolete technology; the memoir of a professor reluctantly abandoning his sex fantasies; the collected portrait of deluded youth about how to find out something horrific; an affectionate treatise on poetry as a cure for hubris; and a de profundis moan of flesh turning into fortune cookies.'
I'm trying out some of his methods. More on that later but for now how's this little gem:
Did you know that John Keats' grave isn't marked with his name? There's an epitaph, but no name. Alongside him is buried Joseph Severn and Joe's tombstone notes that he is 'the friend of John Keats, the poet buried next to him'.
Which is a kind of poetry in itself.
4 comments:
This sounds great! And insane! Will have to give it a go.
Yes you would love it Eva! I'm sure you could confound more than a few testosterone-fueled teenage boys in English class. Putty in your hands ;)
I have to pick this up! I didn't know about Codrescu, despite the fact that he's the same nationality as me. I don't think he knows about me either. Which makes us even. Kinda...
Sounds great though. After researching his work, I am also interested in some of his other books.
Me too Yakshaver, would love to know what you think of his work.
Post a Comment