As with the myth of America, America’s poets believe a poem should go from rags to riches. And yet, why so much surprise when it actually happens?
There is more to American poetry than its genial and hospitable prairie lands. And yet the poetry of its postmodern coasts all too often acts like an immigrant who is naive about the nation’s enigmas and repugnances.
The paradox of American poetry is that it embraces pluralism while being written from inside an empire. Has there ever been a poetry in a country in all of history composed under such conditions?
American poetry has been, is, and always will be taboo free.
America has the most credentialed poets in the history of the world.
As with our political institutions, America’s poets are divided between whalers, non-comformists, and tricksters.
American poets are utopians. The nation’s crimes, their poems say — from genocide to slavery to bigotry — shall be overcome.
The notion of American exceptionalism has not skipped America’s poets. By accepting the privilege to write on any theme, America’s poets exemplify literary chauvinism.
America’s poets hold up the highest principles of American democracy, urban and pastoral fantasies, imperial and isolationist urges, and a secular piety that is a form of poetified religion.
Even though many American poets have experienced life’s disappointments, they are still proponents of the American dream of opportunity and abundance.
4 responses
“Even though many American poets have experienced life’s disappointments, they are still proponents of the American dream of opportunity and abundance.”
Yes! Yes. Yes, yes.
Beautiful and true. A little poem of its own, perhaps! or maybe more like the gnomic statements one finds in Stevens or Emerson.
I’m not buying #s 2 and 7; sounds like you might need to befriend more pessimists, as the current generation of them is okay with America being destroyed. Also, the last one makes poets sound like hoarders, which I guess could be argued.
This was lovely to read as a non-American fan of American poetry! I don’t think poetry has to be apologetic towards anything; in fact much of America’s poetry is beautiful because it DOESN’T apologise, like Ezra Pound for example.
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