Joe Weil

On the Bias Against Narrative Poetry

Many young poets can not accept that telling a story, or relating some sort of narrative arc is conducive to the highest aims of poetry.

Jul

2011

Many young poets can not accept that telling a story, or relating some sort of narrative arc is conducive to the highest aims of poetry.

Presence beyond the spoken or written word

by Joe Weil Poetry and Poetics

Presence beyond the spoken or written word

By Joe Weil

I always think that a poem “off the page” becomes an “act” of language rather than a poem, a thing made out of words.

Jun

2011

I always think that a poem “off the page” becomes an “act” of language rather than a poem, a thing made out of words.

On My Pedagogical Approach (or something of the sort)

by Joe Weil Academia

On My Pedagogical Approach (or something of the sort)

By Joe Weil

Digress, digress, follow the nose of your longing.

May

2011

Digress, digress, follow the nose of your longing.

On Poetry and Loss, Part 2

By Joe Weil

I sometimes think African American “cool” and Irish humor developed out of an awareness of the truth that life is not merciful.

May

2011

I sometimes think African American “cool” and Irish humor developed out of an awareness of the truth that life is not merciful.

On Poetry and Loss

By Joe Weil

The handling of such overwhelming material is first and last, a question of form. Grief, loss, outrage, must be made portable.

Apr

2011

The handling of such overwhelming material is first and last, a question of form. Grief, loss, outrage, must be made portable.

The Four Functions and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

by Joe Weil Academia

The Four Functions and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

By Joe Weil

As Kafka said: “The crows maintain that a single crow could destroy the heavens; doubtless this is so, but it proves nothing against the heavens, for the heavens signify simply: the impossibility of crows.”

Apr

2011

Creative Stupidity

by Joe Weil Poetry and Poetics

Creative Stupidity

By Joe Weil

Many people do not become artists not because they are stupid, but because they are incapable of suspending the thinking/feeling functions. They fail to become writers and musicians and painters because they cannot enter their highest stupidity.

Apr

2011

Overcoming Writer’s Block

by Joe Weil Writing

Overcoming Writer’s Block

By Joe Weil

The words art and habit might seem an odd pairing, but that’s what art is: the glamor of drudgery, and the drudgery of glamor.

Apr

2011

The words art and habit might seem an odd pairing, but that’s what art is: the glamor of drudgery, and the drudgery of glamor.

Poem of the Week: Carolyn Kizer

by Joe Weil Poems of the Week

Poem of the Week: Carolyn Kizer

By Joe Weil

[The Great Blue Heron]

Mar

2011

[The Great Blue Heron]

Sentimentality vs. Feeling

by Joe Weil Aesthetics

Sentimentality vs. Feeling

By Joe Weil

True feeling has the force of grace; sentimentality has the stench of morals. The word “should” and “must” cling to its fat cherubic legs. Half comprised of self regard, and the other half a mixture of cliche, the sentimental is close to the feigned regard of the funeral director: appropriate, and grave, but with one eye on the itemized bill.

Mar

2011

Poem of the Week: Wallace Stevens

by Joe Weil Aesthetics

Poem of the Week: Wallace Stevens

By Joe Weil

[Large Red Man Reading]

Mar

2011

[Large Red Man Reading]

Terms, Truth, Sun Sparrows: A Very Important Lesson from My Father

by Joe Weil Academia

Terms, Truth, Sun Sparrows: A Very Important Lesson from My Father

By Joe Weil

I tell my students that education can do the work of evil: it can make a bunch of aleatory systems with PHDs think they have a right to be superior to the Rocky Weils of this world. They can make a son misunderstand the wisdom of his own father. They stink of torture and snobbery, they are rank with the odor of exclusion and bias, and we call this “truth” or “Dogma” or “terminology.”

Mar

2011

Poem of the Week: Ai

by Joe Weil Academia

Poem of the Week: Ai

By Joe Weil

[Salomé]

Mar

2011

[Salomé]

The Book Bag

by Joe Weil Memoir

The Book Bag

By Joe Weil

The weirdest things survive. I lost my parents and some of those friends also died: Eric, who introduced me to vampire comics and Henry Miller novels, his brother Greg who netted the biggest trout I ever caught, Huey who threw a good fast ball, and liked jamming with me on the piano.

Mar

2011