Many exciting things happen in this conversation with Matthew Zapruder (forgive the audio!) starting with discussing self-inquiry in poetry, poetry as a reaction against power, providing a space for the self, but also others within the poem.
What does it mean to be flat and logical in your language? What impulses in poetry and come and gone, and what’s in vogue?
What does “ordinary language” do in poetry?
The seemingly simple, becoming stranger and stranger.
Thinking of narrative and ambiguity for editing.
Logical proof in poetry.
Thrilling moments discussing Zapruder’s generation’s influences, namely the Eastern/ Central European poets of the 20th century, such as Vasko Popa, Wisława Szymborska, to Tomaž Šalamun… This connections to my own evolution, (I studied with Matthew as a graduate student around 2007, and was in turn heavily influenced by him and his colleagues).
We’ll be talking again with Matthew, so let us know if you have any questions for next time!
Some things touched upon:
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2019/10/17/how-to-write-a-poem-about-noguchi/
https://www.theparisreview.org/poetry/7812/the-evening-meeting-matthew-zapruder
https://www.altaonline.com/culture/fiction-and-poetry/a7825/joanne-kyger-matthew-zapruder/
https://poets.org/poem/luna-my-captive
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2019/03/18/poem-for-merwin/
