Regarding my last reading

[larryhammer]

Pegasus Descending is indeed chock-a-block full of bad poetry. Only once, while reading the William Morris entry, did I find myself thinking, "This isn't bad enough," and that only until I hit the last stanza -- or rather, until the last stanza bitchslapped me down. Unlike The Stuffed Owl, there's very little that's merely mediocre. OTOH, it also doesn't plumb the abysmal depths as often as The Stuffed Owl -- I laughed often, but rarely gagged. Definitely worth getting, if you're into this sort of thing.

Plus it's educational. I learned that:

1) The Thomas Holly Chivers of the reboantic Norns was a rival, rather than disciple, of Poe -- he once accused Poe of plagiarizing "The Raven" from a poem of similar manner and matter. This, from a poet described by a sympathetic critic as "the supreme example of genius wholly unregulated by any talent whatever."

2) There exists an anthology called The Worst English Poets ed. by Christopher Adams (London, 1958). Clearly, I must acquire a copy and report back. I'm willing to take these bullets -- so you don't have to.

---L.

Comments

The Worst English Poets

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

Now you've intrigued me...

I see that Bookfinder.com has a copy for $9.74; other copies after that jump to $17 and $23 and up.

Re: The Worst English Poets

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

P.S. I'll let you grab one first. Finder's Priviliges and all. ;)

Re: The Worst English Poets

[larryhammer]

Thankee sir. I suspect that's the same one I found through ABE.

---L.

[borntofr4g.livejournal.com]

"2) There exists an anthology called The Worst English Poets ed. by Christopher Adams (London, 1958). Clearly, I must acquire a copy and report back. I'm willing to take these bullets -- so you don't have to."

*salutes*

Good luck, man.

[larryhammer]

I hope to serve honorably.

---L.