9 Comments
User's avatar
Emma Donovan's avatar

I never knew pamphlet wars on technical aspects of poetry could be this entertaining to follow.

Expand full comment
Olivia Marstall's avatar

Haha, I'm glad to hear it. Was worried this would be a little too niche/snarky/pedantic for folks to get into.

Expand full comment
Zane Paxton's avatar

As a result of this clash of titans I am left being more astounded and mystified by the beauty of poetry. I am eager to sink deeper, to learn wider, and to write better. Thank you both!

Expand full comment
Olivia Marstall's avatar

I'm so glad to hear this! That's the best possible outcome of this conversation.

Expand full comment
Jeffrey Salem's avatar

My goodness. I'm just jumping into this conversation here, but I'm going to have to read the previous parts and get all caught up.

I myself am a great admirer of meter, but would not consider it the essential quality of poetry. I viewed poetry as a tradition, or perhaps a family tree. It's similar to identifying a mysic genre. What makes a piece of music jazz? There is no single mysucal quality that all jazz music shares. Rather, if your source of inspiration is primarily jazz music, and you are playing with/ responding to jazz music, then almost whatever music you make has a right to be called jazz.

So it is, in my view, with poetry. If what you write is inspired by poetry, is playing with the conventions of poetry, and is responding to poetry, then it's poetry.

Expand full comment
Evelyn Mow's avatar

I loved this whole conversation. More fun than the Superbowl, and I learned so much. Thanks to both of you for the civil, and hilarious, exchange! ❤️

Expand full comment
Peter Whisenant's avatar

For the sake of scholarly accuracy, the French guy used the term "Teutonic barbarity," not "Teutonic barbarian."

Expand full comment
Olivia Marstall's avatar

One would assume that someone who demonstrates Teutonic barbarity is at least implied to be a Teutonic barbarian, no?

Expand full comment
Peter Whisenant's avatar

I don’t know, I’m no scholar.

Expand full comment