Do you ever get the feeling sometimes you're on the wrong side of the world? These two YouTube clips are of the recent(ish) launch for The Best American Poetry 2006, and feature the series editor David Lehman, and the editor of the 2006 anthology, Billy Collins (whose early poetry I really liked, but lately I'm not so sure… but that's somewhat beside the point). In these clips, once you get past the formalities, and the truly dreadful hand-held shakiness of the person taking the video, both have interesting things to say, I think. Apparently there were and are controversies surrounding this issue, and though I don’t know the details of what they were and are, it's not too difficult to guess. Who’s in, who’s out, are these good poems, that kind of thing; plus, given that it’s Billy Collins choosing the poems, who is very popular and therefore also very unpopular, by all accounts ….. well anyway, if any Americans out there would like to fill us in on the details of any gossip and backbiting, even if it’s all hearsay, I’d love to hear from you. Decent critical comment wouldn't come amiss, either --- post a comment, or email me. It would be good to hear from you.
A taste of the kind thing going on may be had from these sites: some of it's not very friendly, I think. There's definitely some axe-grinding going on here and here.
Oh, and there's more over here. A somewhat pedestrian view of things from someone who apparently was at the launch can be found here: (at least it has a few poems attached, along with some useful links)…
Did he say 'daffyness'? I'm all for daffyness. And I want to hear (or at least, read) Paul Violi's exchange in a delicatessen. Where's the shaky tape of that one?
Posted by: David Belbin | October 18, 2006 at 18:51
There is a link to Paul's poem on one of those other blog sites. Text only, I'm afraid. No audio. The poem is at http://www.poems.com/countvio.htm
And yes, he did say daffyness.
Posted by: Martin | October 19, 2006 at 01:36
Ever since Harold Bloom lambasted Adrienne Rich for her editorial job on the 1996 edition, controversy seems to follow this issue. Isn't there always controversy when you make a grouping of the best of something?
I am the author of "the somewhat pedestrian view of things" and I tried to avoid the controversial aspect harped upon by the other bloggers. Nothwithstanding the doubts many have about the alleged nepotism, I am still a huge fan of the series. Thanks for linking to me,
Bill Cohen
Posted by: Bill | October 26, 2006 at 05:02