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Critical Analysis #2
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The worst poet of the 20th century
| Critical Analysis #2 |
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The worst poet of the 20th century |
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Yejun Junior Member
since 2007-11-21
Posts 49 |
Inevitable as taking the yellow wood path and knowing I'll incur somebody's wrath, But if we talk about first, we should talk about worst, So will it be Cummings or Sylvia Plath? |
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| © Copyright 2007 Yejun - All Rights Reserved | |||
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Consider Rod McKuen my write in candidate.  |
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oceanvu2 Senior Member
since 2007-02-24
Posts 1066Santa Monica, California, USA |
Edgar Arlington Robinson? James Whitcomb Riley? Louis Zukofsky? Joyce Kilmer? John Crowe Ransom? Stephen Vincent Benet? Merrill Moore? Vachel Lindsay? Robinson Jeffers? LaToya Jackson? Why do people pick on e.e. cummings? His typewriter has a bad case of the hiccups, many of his poems are sentimental, some just silly... Oh, maybe that's why they pick on him. Then one reads "The Enormous Room," and thinks there might be something going on there! Best, Jim |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
I think it's most of the beat poets. Stephen |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
most of the beat poets? Curious, since you didn't say "all"--which one escaped your dustpan, Stephan? |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Stop picking on Cummings!!! R. Kelly is, hands down, the WORST poet in America. Jim |
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hush Senior Member
since 2001-05-27
Posts 1653Ohio, USA |
I second Karen's suggestion for sheer overratedness. And that little kid- Stepanik (Sp?) for the same reason, although it's probably not fair to pick on a six year old. |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
Everybody defends Cummings but nobody stands up for Plath? How about Maya Angelou? |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I LIKE Sylvia Plath. There. I said it. But now I will be branded as a suicidal, depressive, man-hating witch with bad literary taste. OH. I already was, huh? Never mind.  |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
jb? I didn't think R.Kelly qualified as a poet--I always thought he was just kiddin'. But my son informs me that he writes that stuff on purpose, and he does indeed take himself veddy seriously. Sheesh But I still think it's funny stuff. |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
There are many good things to be said about Plath. The only problem I see is that her life overshadows her work and I have the nagging suspicion that that's the way she wanted it. |
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Grinch Member Elite
since 2005-12-31
Posts 2929Whoville |
Claribel Alegría (Clara Isabel Alegría Vides) That may seem a little unfair as I've only read two of her poems but she's the only poet where I've intentionaly avoided reading a third. |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Brad, I'd take it farther than that. The name overshadows the work. We say "Cummings" and "Plath" but don't mention their work (Cummings wrote in classical forms too, yunno). Maybe the topic ought to be the worst poems of the 20th century. Nomatter how much you hate him, most have to admit some works of Cummings have redeeming qualities. Few, however, could honestly defend R. Kelly. He probably was the first, however, to rhyme "tomato" and "potato" in a love ballad. ~shudder~ Jim |
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Irish Member
since 2006-05-02
Posts 50Ft Benning |
Do I think this man has serious skills ? Oh absolutely ! but... I have never liked T.S. Elliot simply because I find him hard to understand . Yes, that says more about myself than him but it is the case non the less . lol |
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oceanvu2 Senior Member
since 2007-02-24
Posts 1066Santa Monica, California, USA |
Hi Guys. Just as it is folly to try and susgest the "best" poet, it's folly to try to determine the worst. It's just a hell of a lot more fun. Best, Jimbeaux |
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Irish Member
since 2006-05-02
Posts 50Ft Benning |
Truthfully I don't think there is such a thing ( save the roses are red guys and gals lol ) Best and Worst falls ( in my opinion at least ) into that hoop of taste. Some people love the "Mona Lisa" and some love Elvis on velvet  |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
quote: And those guys who post bad limericks.  |
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Irish Member
since 2006-05-02
Posts 50Ft Benning |
LOL ! All limericks are bad ! It is not their intent to be good poetry ~ says with glasses lowered on her nose,trying to look intellectually superior and all that ~ It is their intent to make drunks laugh lol |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
Actually, the ones that really make me laugh, are the anti-limericks: A friend of mine started this one at a bar last week: There once was a man from Russia, Vladivstock, Siberia, Stalin . . . It still cracks me up. |
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Bob K Member Elite
since 2007-11-03
Posts 4208 |
Has anybody seen THE STUFFED OWL, an anthology of the worst poetry by anybody, ever? It's a howl. Most of Cummings was actually written in forms, although scattered about on the page. I don't like his typography a lot, but he is an in interesting lyric voice. Sylvia Plath is to my ear, amazing, and deserves a reading aloud. She has a brutally effective understanding of rhetoric and structure and for me is one of the best poets of the last century. There are a number of the beats I enjoy a great deal, including great chunks of Alan Ginsberg. One of the worst for me is Ella Wheeler Wilcox who is unfortunately making a bit of a comeback as a feminist pioneer. One of her poems, "A Plea for Cleaner Fatherhood," was originally an anti-VD poster printed by the YMCA for the troops during WWI. A nomination! Best to everybody, BobK |
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