So much interesting material to dive into here. I'll need to reread this on different days. I have thought about this with something like foreboding. That is: what if someone takes me seriously? I am fascinated by Megalopolis and its ambitions, for instance. I believe it was worth it. You heighten my self-awareness here but I hate, HATE claims of authority and yet I make them. We all do.
We can't be too hard on ourselves for that reason. If it's honest it's vulnerable and brave. The conversation. Yes. Conversation ends with claims to authority.
You've also opened a door wide open to that vulnerability that defines my favourite criticism by inviting us to explore your Rossetti "Making Of"!
Courtenay, you also happen to be among MY FAVOURITE Substack poet.
To slide across the dance floor to another genre: Duke Ellington once said that there are only two types of music: “good and bad.” I am shyless about making such judgements. It is only when I attach feckless authority and superiority to my judgement that I become appropriately suspicious of my judgment and my motives.
I write a lot about poets and poetry/ A lot. But I think of myself more as a reviewer than a critic. Which means rather than 'good and bad' I tend to say, 'this is how this works' and I like/don't like it.
So much interesting material to dive into here. I'll need to reread this on different days. I have thought about this with something like foreboding. That is: what if someone takes me seriously? I am fascinated by Megalopolis and its ambitions, for instance. I believe it was worth it. You heighten my self-awareness here but I hate, HATE claims of authority and yet I make them. We all do.
We can't be too hard on ourselves for that reason. If it's honest it's vulnerable and brave. The conversation. Yes. Conversation ends with claims to authority.
You've also opened a door wide open to that vulnerability that defines my favourite criticism by inviting us to explore your Rossetti "Making Of"!
Courtenay, you also happen to be among MY FAVOURITE Substack poet.
Isn't my "favourite" different than "best"?
I also wrestle with the idea of favourites, but it does go through the same kind of pondering!
I am trying to be more conversational. ("Descriptive"). Its the goal but it is so hard to achieve.
This also connects to Platonic forms and the "Ideal."
To slide across the dance floor to another genre: Duke Ellington once said that there are only two types of music: “good and bad.” I am shyless about making such judgements. It is only when I attach feckless authority and superiority to my judgement that I become appropriately suspicious of my judgment and my motives.
BTW, I just “liked” my post. Good call?
I write a lot about poets and poetry/ A lot. But I think of myself more as a reviewer than a critic. Which means rather than 'good and bad' I tend to say, 'this is how this works' and I like/don't like it.