"I hate work. Libraries are a quite pleasant way of earning a living. Dismal prospects though! Jobs connected with books like publishing are not good for creative writing. That’s why libraries, all technical and administration, are so good."
"Most people say that the purpose of poetry is communication: that sounds as if one could be contented simply by telling somebody whatever it is one has noticed, felt or perceived. I feel it is a kind of permanent communication better called preservation, since one’s deepest impulse in writing (or, I must admit, painting or composing) is to my mind not “I must tell everybody about that” (i.e. responsibility to other people) but “I must stop that from being forgotten if I can” (i.e. responsibility towards subject). When writing a poem I am trying to construct a verbal device or machine which will, upon reading, render up the emotion I originally experienced to as many people as possible for as long as possible."
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Absolutely fascinating ...
... Larkin's first interview. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
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Absolutely correcto. Loved reading this. Made me feel mornal :) . . . Ah, if insanity and impossibility hadn't existed, poetry wouldn't either. Especially for women, particularly at this moment which contains all and costs not everything but same.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing that to us, FDL. You never miss the great treats; but, this constitutes one of the greatest. Awe-filly.
Good news! Friend who gave up communication for Lent didn't make it. Whew . . . He works in mysterious ways, just when you think you're lost in the haze of bitter daze . . .
Better, never bitter. Not a quitter. <---- That shoulda been Larkin's epitaph. He did have a wickedly droll sense of humour.
I'm not even convinced that Communication is a fiction writer's intention either.
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought, Lee. Trying to think what kind of writer does need or intend to communicate with the reader. Biographers supply facts, interpretative analyses, annotations, extrapolations, divagations, divinations, observations, and so on; same with historians and other forms of creative non-fiction.
ReplyDeletePoets / fictionalists wish to entertain, delight, instruct, amuse, or similar; but, communication seems to me, at least, to involve a kind of one-to-wonderful first-personal situation. You communicate in personal letters or emails; but, you provide information in complaints / compliments when it comes to epistolaria.
Do Bloggers wish to communicate? I don't think so; but, I think the argument that Bloggers, given the dependence on the first-personal POV, do need to make a connection with their readers. There's a touchy-feelie vibe on the idea of communicating (or, conversely, a kind of theatrical spin on it; but, then again, I'm thinking more of radio personalities, even, than actors, et.al. who, you know, emote :) and ask the director what the motivation involves).
There are communication studies and theories; but, that seems more sociological than anthropological, I guess. So, I do agree with Larkin on that score. The last thing one wants to do in a work of art, science, or factualities is communicate. (Maybe connect or resonate; but, I don't think it comes with the writerly job descrip, does it?)
Just pondering and attempting to communicate my thoughts on whether that's what we do here, commentarily speaking, even . . .