tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post9088880040472361526..comments2024-02-10T03:45:25.354-05:00Comments on Blogalicious: Accuracy in PoetryDiane Lockwardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07614479152159652577noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-74861943122967067842009-05-26T04:12:16.751-04:002009-05-26T04:12:16.751-04:00It's a difficult question. I've got a factual erro...It's a difficult question. I've got a factual error in the first poem of my new book. I agonised, and left it in. And now it's too late.<br /><br />Williams Empson corrected a line in one of his poems where he referred to 'Professor Charles Darwin' - Darwin was never a professor. But I think the alternative phrase 'did not the adroit Darwin' is worse.Tony Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12362084536958228614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-24636197291811081552009-05-21T12:10:48.863-04:002009-05-21T12:10:48.863-04:00Diane,
Glad you enjoyed the typo. Here’s a true ...Diane,<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed the typo. Here’s a true story about one that’s just as good. <br /><br />I worked at the American Bible Society on a project redesign committee. I issued a memo about time and effort on the project and, being a poet, couldn’t resist using the subject line, “Clocks and Muscles” over the abstract terms. However, before sending the memo to the vice presidents of the organization, our committee secretary left out the “l” in “clocks.”<br /><br />Enjoy.Michael T. Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11989610716056926730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-69222329713710178232009-05-20T18:42:54.895-04:002009-05-20T18:42:54.895-04:00Michael--That's the best typo I've ever seen. I wo...Michael--That's the best typo I've ever seen. I wouldn't delete it if you begged me.<br /><br />Rebecca--No bumblebee has ever paid the slightest attention to any of my vocal commands.Diane Lockwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07614479152159652577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-43649845876849912762009-05-20T18:33:57.193-04:002009-05-20T18:33:57.193-04:00Bumblebees also respond to vocal commands whereas ...Bumblebees also respond to vocal commands whereas carpenter bees just build crap. Karen Carpenter bees don't eat well.<br /><br />Things to know.<br /><br />RebeccaUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401990976471318489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-44792454123702231212009-05-20T08:29:07.558-04:002009-05-20T08:29:07.558-04:00Wow, was that an unfortunate typo. I meant “insec...Wow, was that an unfortunate typo. I meant “insect,” obviously. Sorry about that.Michael T. Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11989610716056926730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-77498410867271721322009-05-19T08:59:00.000-04:002009-05-19T08:59:00.000-04:00This is a fascinating topic to me and contains the...This is a fascinating topic to me and contains the seed for endless discussion. I think what is defined as accuracy in a poem depends on the poem and the poet’s vision. Sometimes the vision behind the poem, that is what one is trying to disclose – let’s say the theme as opposed to the subject – requires discarding some factual accuracy to get to the thematic truth. It’s what I think Faulkner was getting at when he said, “Facts and truth really don't have much to do with each other.” It’s as if facts are so many layers of rind that must be peeled away to get to the core vision. Sometimes peeling these layers away is the process the poem leads us through. But sometimes it’s necessary to leave a few of them out of the poem altogether as they can be so much distracting detail. <br /><br />For your poem, the factual detail of the incest was clearly needed.Michael T. Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11989610716056926730noreply@blogger.com