Comments on: The Flaming Poodle of the Mind: Poetry Readings, Vaudeville & Louise Gluck’s Legs https://thethepoetry.com/2010/03/the-flaming-poodle-of-the-mind-poetry-readings-vaudeville-louise-glucks-legs/ Where was it one first heard of the truth? Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:55:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Christie Ann Reynolds https://thethepoetry.com/2010/03/the-flaming-poodle-of-the-mind-poetry-readings-vaudeville-louise-glucks-legs/comment-page-1/#comment-140 Christie Ann Reynolds Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:21:29 +0000 https://thethepoetry.com/?p=1101#comment-140 It is interesting how we both posted on a similar theme--and Chris too. Heather Christle's reading, amongst the other things I mention in my post, provoked me into understanding what was different and "arresting" about her reading--and perhaps the constant eye contact, the set voice and poise--are mini-vaudevillian acts in themselves. Perhaps the point I was also making in my post, which you did very humorously and eloquently and more elaborately, was that without the reader-to-audience contact (maybe in the form of reciting work) I get bored. Or feel detached. I never thought about the idea of the venue using the poet wrong--brilliant. When I was an undergrad student at Hofstra, they seemed to use her correctly first--then threw her out into the larger ring. But the poetry students were allowed to sit with her (only ten of us) and chat and ask questions while she also read several poems from The Wild Iris. It was, now that I think of it, the only way to experience her. Perhaps we should start a reading series that moves venues based on the poet! Nice post! It is interesting how we both posted on a similar theme–and Chris too. Heather Christle’s reading, amongst the other things I mention in my post, provoked me into understanding what was different and “arresting” about her reading–and perhaps the constant eye contact, the set voice and poise–are mini-vaudevillian acts in themselves. Perhaps the point I was also making in my post, which you did very humorously and eloquently and more elaborately, was that without the reader-to-audience contact (maybe in the form of reciting work) I get bored. Or feel detached. I never thought about the idea of the venue using the poet wrong–brilliant. When I was an undergrad student at Hofstra, they seemed to use her correctly first–then threw her out into the larger ring. But the poetry students were allowed to sit with her (only ten of us) and chat and ask questions while she also read several poems from The Wild Iris. It was, now that I think of it, the only way to experience her. Perhaps we should start a reading series that moves venues based on the poet! Nice post!

]]> By: ChrisOCook https://thethepoetry.com/2010/03/the-flaming-poodle-of-the-mind-poetry-readings-vaudeville-louise-glucks-legs/comment-page-1/#comment-139 ChrisOCook Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:50:19 +0000 https://thethepoetry.com/?p=1101#comment-139 Bizarre. I don't know you, but we both blogged virtually the same thing on the same day: http://www.chrisocook.com/blog/?p=16 Anyway, I couldn't agree more (obviously, since I just made the same complaint myself). Not sure about the acrobats, but I definitely think it's obnoxious for poets to refuse on principle to "put on a show." I guess we're afraid of being accused of Slamness, which is unprofessorial after all. But I think it's changing with the generation hitting its stride now. I saw thethepoetry's 3/5 "poem of the week" girl Heather Christle read this past weekend at Spacespace and it was absolutely arresting. I think a brightside of the fact that persona is so inescapable now is that poets are finally catching on (or re-catching on, since persona was the norm before the academic age anyway). Plus the web is making us less dependent on being filtered through (and thus, approved by) academia. Bizarre. I don’t know you, but we both blogged virtually the same thing on the same day: http://www.chrisocook.com/blog/?p=16

Anyway, I couldn’t agree more (obviously, since I just made the same complaint myself). Not sure about the acrobats, but I definitely think it’s obnoxious for poets to refuse on principle to “put on a show.” I guess we’re afraid of being accused of Slamness, which is unprofessorial after all.

But I think it’s changing with the generation hitting its stride now. I saw thethepoetry’s 3/5 “poem of the week” girl Heather Christle read this past weekend at Spacespace and it was absolutely arresting. I think a brightside of the fact that persona is so inescapable now is that poets are finally catching on (or re-catching on, since persona was the norm before the academic age anyway). Plus the web is making us less dependent on being filtered through (and thus, approved by) academia.

]]> By: CaptSnark https://thethepoetry.com/2010/03/the-flaming-poodle-of-the-mind-poetry-readings-vaudeville-louise-glucks-legs/comment-page-1/#comment-137 CaptSnark Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:56:32 +0000 https://thethepoetry.com/?p=1101#comment-137 I am in wholehearted agreement. May I nominate Bill Irwin as a potentially invaluable part of an appropriate vaudevillian mix? As I'm a (one hopes cheerful) cynic, however, I suspect that while your thoughts will be well received at the superficial level they will not be honored as to substance. It seems to me that as you rightly point out the rite is one of mere validation, self-celebration, and credentialing (emphasis on the word 'mere') and that this is in turn reflective of limitations of the various 'programs' and what it has come to mean, socially, to be a 'poet'. I would think that folks will be open to making things more colorful (as you rightly anticipate) but they won't reach for the heart of the matter – frankly, I don't think they're up for it. Nettlesome question: Do you? Think they're up for it? There are, of course, an abundance of good intentions, but good intentions mean nothing if one is serious – anyone and everyone has them. So what? I am in wholehearted agreement. May I nominate Bill Irwin as a potentially invaluable part of an appropriate vaudevillian mix?

As I’m a (one hopes cheerful) cynic, however, I suspect that while your thoughts will be well received at the superficial level they will not be honored as to substance. It seems to me that as you rightly point out the rite is one of mere validation, self-celebration, and credentialing (emphasis on the word ‘mere’) and that this is in turn reflective of limitations of the various ‘programs’ and what it has come to mean, socially, to be a ‘poet’. I would think that folks will be open to making things more colorful (as you rightly anticipate) but they won’t reach for the heart of the matter – frankly, I don’t think they’re up for it.

Nettlesome question: Do you? Think they’re up for it? There are, of course, an abundance of good intentions, but good intentions mean nothing if one is serious – anyone and everyone has them. So what?

]]>