Jerome Rothenberg @ CCMA April 17, 2011

For those who don’t know: Jerome Rothenberg is a small, hunched man with poetic energy exuding from every pore.  Those recording the session had to dramatically redo (read: lower) the microphone to accommodate him. Rothenberg read works from 1955 to the present, works that were inspired by others (Gertrude Stein, Celan) or not.  His reading focused on “The Practice of Othering”, which he described as something beyond translation.

I felt that there was helical nature to many of the poems he read, either within a piece due to rhythm and sound, or multiple pieces that build upon each other and step backwards also.

When talking about translation, he stated that transformations and / or transcreations can occur.  For example, he spoke of translating Lorca.  When her learned that the publishing house wasn’t going to print the book as he intended, he then excised all of the nouns from his translated poems, rearranged them and created new poems around those nouns.  Consequently his work became an homage to Lorca; this approach made sense, especially given that early in the presentation he stated that the composition of poetry is the feeling that we are not alone, but part of a continuum of expression.   It seems to me this manner of composition is placing himself in the continuum (in relation to a specific person who preceded him).

I found it really interesting listening to him talk about translation, and to his openness about what translation could be, especially after hearing Clayton Eshleman speak briefly on the topic last week.  Eshleman seemed to have a narrower view than Rothenberg.  For example, Eshleman clearly isn’t very impressed with homophone translations, which are translations based around sound (e.g., “amigo” becomes “am ego”).  While I’d be hesitant to call this translation, I do think it could lead to interesting poetry, an evolution of language and meaning. Near the end of the event Rothenberg stated that he perceived all poetry as being a kind of translation, just as we translate each other.  A poet can serve as a witness and a conduit for those whose voices are not heard.  (As I write this I realize this sentiment is not so different from Brenda Iijima’s, even though the results – and who they serve as conduits for – are so dramatically different.)

One Pause Poetry series begins! April 12, 2011

Ok, clearly blogging isn’t for me, as I write in my journal nearly every night but I’ve not managed to update this in a month.  So, what’s been happening?

Well, a few weeks ago I met the director of One Pause Poetry, Sarah Messer, for the first time.  She was in town briefly for preparation of the series. We discussed CCMA, how One Pause fits in, assorted grants that they’ve applied for, some basic grant research that I looked up for them, and what to expect in the next few weeks.  It was enlightening and also allowed me to feel like this entire experience was a little less abstract – that my community outreach really was part of a community.

Later that same week we met again for about 90 mins. with two UM MFA interns + Clarissa (who manages the house during the readings).  This was a totally different conversation.  1/2 of it was practical details (e.g., remember to bring water as the water pumps to the building where the readings occur won’t yet be turned on).  The other 1/2 was more of a brainstorming about future presentations – who would be good to ask, what kinds of connections writers have with each other that might prove thematically interesting, etc.  I thought it was interesting to hear how those decisions are made and what factors Sarah & others take into account.

I then spent the following week driving around Chelsea, Saline, and Dexter talking to shopkeepers and gallery folks & posting promotional posters & postcards.

Most recent events have been a culmination of this work.  This past Thursday night I *finally* got to visit CCMA and see where the series took place.  Sean – I totally thought of you!  I spent ages sweeping & mopping the floor of the barn and there were flies everywhere!  Some were dead, others just slow and sleepy.  There were also several dazed wasps, lingering and longing to stay alive.

Friday night Clayton Eshleman gave a talk, “The Back Wall of the Imagination: Ice Age Cave Art and the Origin of Image-Making,” and a reading from his book, Juniper Fuse. Practical notes:  I think folks were a little worried about the turnout given that the main road to the location was flooded due to rains.  Also, being the first of the season adds questionability of success.  In fact, he had a good sized audience (~ 35?), the talk was interesting, the Q?&A afterwards was really engaging.

I think my favorite part was actually the next morning, where there was a roundtable discussion with Clayton.  Only a small group turned up, but that has its advantages too.  The setup – Sarah asks Clayton questions about poetry, the poetic process, beauty, engagement, etc.  The audience is sitting in a small circle around them and, really, a group conversation began to take shape.  Not only was it interesting to hear what Clayton had to say (for example the obligation of a poet to broaden their world, types of translation, or the use of MFA programs – if any, among other things), but also how audience members responded to this.  The discussion went longer than anticipated, which I think is a good reflection on how involved everyone was with the conversation.

The next reading is this Friday with Jerome Rothenberg – I’m superexcited!