tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432817549859327458.post143744996518414303..comments2024-01-05T20:26:44.857-08:00Comments on Thinking Again: Sound Poetry in Belgium and The Netherlandsmark wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10047292022080114501noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432817549859327458.post-90109694685622481892009-08-11T05:36:48.855-07:002009-08-11T05:36:48.855-07:00Hi Mark,
I just read your very elaborate piece an...Hi Mark,<br /><br />I just read your very elaborate piece and I dare say you picked the Dutch-Flemish situation rather well. Even though only a minority is really into sound poetry, even mainstream poets over here tend to stress the musicality and/or rhytmicallity of their poems, when talking about their writing. And your observations also link up well with what literature professor J.H. De Roder wrote in 'Het onbehagen van de literatuur' (The uneasiness of literature), namely that the denotative meaning of poetry is not the most important part of it. You can find an English text of him at: http://webh01.ua.ac.be/apil/apil101/deroder.pdf.<br /><br />I also think you understood very well that there is a political background to this, probably a bit more in Flandres/Belgium than in the Netherlands. In all the Dutch-speaking region there is a commonly shared language to talk about poetry, but even then there are sometimes significant differences. Just one very fitting example: The poetry book 'Hartswedervaren' (badly translatable as 'Heart happenings') by the Flemish Dirk van Bastelaere is boring to read, as it escapes every rhythmical and sound effect. On purpose, off course. I give this name as he is said to be trendsetting for the Flemish innovative poetry of the nineties and beginning of the 21st century. He is the defender of a more political postmodernism in poetry ('political' maybe more in the sense of poetry-politics, of a defense of innovation in poetry). This poetry-political view has never been so central in the Netherlands.<br /><br />I'll leave it here by now. Thanks for your thoughts!<br /><br />Greetings,<br /><br />XavierXavier Roelenshttp://www.xavierroelens.benoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432817549859327458.post-55930357773677736342009-07-30T15:42:39.597-07:002009-07-30T15:42:39.597-07:00Hey Mark, tnx for posting these links. Indeed, lik...Hey Mark, tnx for posting these links. Indeed, like Helen said, great to hear another perspective on our own work. Loved the Brussels conversation very much. Only sad that time was not on our side that day...<br />Soon the 11 day festival audio tapes will be posted on a site... <br />Btw: next time in Belgium also get in touch with Antoine Boute (great French speaking poet from the Brussels area)<br />Also check the Klebnikov Carnaval site: http://khlebnikov.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/call-for-works/<br /><br />A huge hug... tomorow on our way to Bulgaria...Spooninmybrainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04727150035496725287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432817549859327458.post-21299806359582754102009-07-29T04:37:07.329-07:002009-07-29T04:37:07.329-07:00Thanks Mark! It's really interesting to hear t...Thanks Mark! It's really interesting to hear thoughts from a different perspective on what we're all doing. I'm really glad you could catch up with Rozalie too.Helen Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02917007377347655214noreply@blogger.com