Hi Frank! My comment -- if memory serves, although hat happens less and less these days -- was something on the order of that you were right -- that the poetry should rise or fall on its merits, but that, one unique aspect of trans poetry, good or not, that might be recognized is the fact that it exists at all -- that trans people have a condition that is so puzzling and confusing and even scary and contemptuous to so many -- it is a wonder they can now be shown and recognized as themselves not hidden behind a facade. It's like the old story about the farmer's dog who could sing Happy Birthday. He doesn't do it so well, one of the farmer's neighbors observed -- can't carry a tune and some of the words are garbled. Hey, the other neighbor said, it's not so much that he does it well but that he can do it at all.
Thanks for reposting that, Julie. What you say, of course, is so. The point I was going to make is that it can get in the way of the artist being recognized for his art. Henry Ossawa Tanner moved to Paris because he wanted to be known as a painter, not a black painter. Ned Rorem says there is no such thing as a gay composer. The trans poet deserves to be understood first and foremost as poet and not have an asterisk placed beside her name.
While trying to reply to a comment Julie had posted, I inadvertently deleted her comment. I just wrote asked her write it up again.
ReplyDeleteHi Frank! My comment -- if memory serves, although hat happens less and less these days -- was something on the order of that you were right -- that the poetry should rise or fall on its merits, but that, one unique aspect of trans poetry, good or not, that might be recognized is the fact that it exists at all -- that trans people have a condition that is so puzzling and confusing and even scary and contemptuous to so many -- it is a wonder they can now be shown and recognized as themselves not hidden behind a facade. It's like the old story about the farmer's dog who could sing Happy Birthday. He doesn't do it so well, one of the farmer's neighbors observed -- can't carry a tune and some of the words are garbled. Hey, the other neighbor said, it's not so much that he does it well but that he can do it at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reposting that, Julie. What you say, of course, is so. The point I was going to make is that it can get in the way of the artist being recognized for his art. Henry Ossawa Tanner moved to Paris because he wanted to be known as a painter, not a black painter. Ned Rorem says there is no such thing as a gay composer. The trans poet deserves to be understood first and foremost as poet and not have an asterisk placed beside her name.
ReplyDelete