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Topic: Beyond Ex Cathedra (Read 1833 times)
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leveller
Full Member
Posts: 2
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Since Mr. Pollock wishes to give a poetry workshop, I shall give a brief one here of his interminable poem "Beyond St. Catherine's Hill". Mr. Pollock seems capable only of taking others' work and reducing it to a diary (Such as in his ruination of Syrota's wonderful Chernobyl poems).
How easy to make a sacerdotal image of water in a poem about St. Catherine's Hill: "the long chalice of river" is so trite as to deserve the accusation of being cheesy.
And the bucolic image of a roe (here called a roe deer, almost like calling someone a "woman human") just for that lovely sacredness of nature effect. And how it "grants an audience" in that banal anthropomorphizing imagery loved by sub-fireside poets. Arcs of masonry "sailing," "cold-chiselled saints," and "the clutter of salvation" are, like found art, thrown together for ninth-grade effect.
The attempt to show the absence of faith in the modern world is pitifully drawn in this line "Where faith remains, in bones / in painted boxes" and the careless juxtaposition of the modern ("discreet black Saabs") with the ancient ("through streets / the Romans engineered") denote a modest writer of the junior variety.
The final stanza is betrayed by its author's lack of experience as a writer:
"Along the banks, through shooting weir spray,
a smudge of wren
evaporates through ferns."
This would be a fine short poem on its own:
"Along the banks
a smudge of wren
evaporates through ferns."
But Mr. Pollock has decided that the flaccid image of "Shooting weir spray" is a fine addition. Please read some more poetry, Mr. Pollock.
You, Sir, are a plagia-rat of the worst kind.
"Swans sing before they die, 'twere no bad thing
Should certain persons die before they sing."
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Estill Pollock
Full Member
Posts: 6
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Oh Dear! I seem to have upset the (anonymous) Leveller with my comments on "Three Prose Poems".
Honestly guys, if we can't mix it up a bit without getting in a snit, we may as well all quit. Or is the purpose of the Forum merely to preen each other's feathers?
Leveller is probably right: after ten published books, I should pack up poetry in favour of something useful, although the comments re "Cathedra" I found interesting and amusing, if not a little shrill.
The poem by the way is included (in its present form) in a new collection, Designs for Living, published in 2008.
Stay cool!
'Nothing has been changed except the unreal,
as if nothing had been changed at all.'
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Gregor Milne
Administrator
Poster Monkey
Posts: 72
The best friend I ever had
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The comments were a little sharp there. Honestly, I feel I should write a defense o Hahn's work, because I like it. He often has a point in choosing metaphors and imagery that contradict a face-on reader's logic. Give him a chance. I think calling his poems "Workshop" or something akin to that was harsh to the point of insult.
I have absolutely no problems with pseudonyms on the forum. Obviously writers should have the guts to use their own name. But I can promise you that Mr. Hahn is NOT Leveller. Leveller is someone else entirely. Yes, I know who you are. 
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Estill Pollock
Full Member
Posts: 6
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Ok Gregor, maybe a little harsh, but we should be able to challenge writing on its own terms.
I don't think I was insulting; I wasn't insulted when Leveller commented on "Ex Cathedra". In fact I revisited the piece and made a few minor changes. I did think it odd that rather than defend Mr Hahn's poems, a converse operation took place wherein Leveller attempted to deconstruct a poem of mine. Can I infer then that some of my own comments were considered valid?
None of my comments are meant personally. I'm sure Mr Hahn can take it on the chin as well as I.
I should respond to the comments re Sirota. As you know, I worked closely with Lyubov over several months preparing "Resurrection Suite", and like it or not the poem has entered the canon of Chernobyl literature ALONG SIDE Sirota's original poems, so the comments made in an attempt to belittle me in fact were an insult to Lyubov.
If readers would like to read actual review comments about "RS", visit www.estillpollock-poetry.com and follow the links to Reviews and Available Light.
This thread is now closed as far as I'm concerned, but I'll continue to challenge writers and writing in the future, and sign my name to those comments, where I think good poems could be made better, or indeed where writing of the highest quality can and should be praised.
Thanks guys.
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Al Facinha
Full Member
Posts: 15
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Back on the forum after some weeks, I see how much I have missed. I must say my sympathy as a simple reader rests with the Leveller - though I don't care much for the idea of levelling - where art is concerned. 
I have been stricken by the tone of these postings, reminiscent of anathema and excommunication.
In fact...everybody talking "EX CATHEDRA" (and I wish Estil Pollock might explain how the title relates with the poem) 
Good G.d! Is not just one Pope enough? 
Al
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Al Facinha
Full Member
Posts: 15
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I do understand that Estil Pollock deems this thread closed as far as Estil Pollock is concerned. I still would like to know how EP correlates the title of "Ex Cathedra" with the contents of the poem. There are but two options open: either Estil Pollock implies that Estil Pollock is by divine grace authorized to rule "ex cathedra" over poetry or poesey, or Estil Pollock is a pedantic moron who uses words for the mere sound of them and has no idea of their meaning, much less of what their association implies.
Not mine choice.
So long! love you all girls!
Al
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« Last Edit: October 15, 2007, 01:43:17 PM by Al Facinha »
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