it is permitted to be angry, to express hard emotions explicitly. Poems get described as evocative and, yes, powerful - rather than histrionic or overwrought.
I think there's a gendered aspect to this, though. I'm thinking of Plath and especially of Sexton, who were told their poetry was too emotional, too hysterical.
-- Have you read Return to My Native Land by Césaire? (Excerpts at the link.) I found myself thinking of it while reading Half-Caste. It's very much about the body politic.
-- Wonderful post. There's so much to talk about based on what you posted here. We could go on for a week on this alone and never run out of poets.
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Date: 2014-02-22 10:13 pm (UTC)I think there's a gendered aspect to this, though. I'm thinking of Plath and especially of Sexton, who were told their poetry was too emotional, too hysterical.
--
Have you read Return to My Native Land by Césaire? (Excerpts at the link.) I found myself thinking of it while reading Half-Caste. It's very much about the body politic.
--
Wonderful post. There's so much to talk about based on what you posted here. We could go on for a week on this alone and never run out of poets.