… in his introduction to “The Best Poems of the English Language,” Harold Bloom writes, “The art of reading poetry begins with mastering allusiveness in particular poems, from the simple to the very complex.” This sounds completely reasonable, but is totally wrong. The art of reading poetry doesn’t begin with thinking about historical moments or great philosophies. It begins with reading the words of the poems themselves.Just read the poem. Let it settle in. Live with it a bit.
Friday, July 21, 2017
Yes, it is …
… Understanding Poetry Is More Straightforward Than You Think. (Hat tip, G.E. Reutter.)
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Good article! Poor Harold Bloom. He has had a knack for saying simple things in such opaque ways. But I still like Bloom.
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