The envy of all other arts organizations (because of its
titanic wealth), the Poetry Foundation “aspires to alter the perception that
poetry is a marginal art, and to make it directly relevant to the American
public.” If this is a truly an aspiration, perhaps it might make more sense to
move past racializing the information it provides the public. I know that the
trendy intellectual stance is to have no opinion or have all opinions—which in
my thinking amount to cowardice. I am nitpicking here but it is an easy matter
to clear up.
Jay Wright is, unequivocally, the
greatest living American poet. I can say this because his poetry represents
everything that America is and, unlike any of his contemporaries that might come
close to possessing his gifts, not what he would like it to be. So, it goes without
saying that I am vexed at the Poetry Foundation’s description of him, in what
is otherwise an astute biography, as “one of America’s leading African-American
voices.” Not surprisingly, John Ashbery is described as “one of the greatest
twentieth-century American poets.” Because Mr. Ashbery is simply described as
American, is it given that he is white? In fact, nothing is mentioned about Ashbery’s
identity (white, wealthy, homosexual or otherwise) and the biography discusses
his poetry on it merits. I believe
Mr. Wright deserves the same approach. His work demands it! Wright’s poetry
flattens his “great” peers with a range that is simultaneously philosophical
and concrete. He has achieved his goal of uncovering the weave of American
culture.
Wright is a difficult poet but,
paraphrasing Harold Bloom, there are difficult pleasures to be had from his
high song. Moreover, he would be less difficult if the teaching of history were
more accurate and reflected Wright’s range. Derek Walcott once said that he
refuses the saga of Europe as center and this is Wright’s position. “But it is
not enough to / to sip the knowledge / of our failings.1” There is a
way into Wright’s language and his poetry, if given the proper attention, is
redemptive. He asks “if the world is real enough / to measure [his] intention2”
and teaches his readers that “[i]t is time to rewrite the history of darkness /
and the way our ballbearing stars slip around / and away from each other.3”
Our country needs this poetry more than any other.
I am not sure how the Poetry
Foundation decides who gets to be a great American poet. It is unfortunate that
the formula African-American < American is still true in the USA. My
apologies to anyone who is tired of Ellisonian argument but it does matter.
Ignorance of semantics perpetuates racism. Wright says, “I shall walk carefully
/ about this contradiction— / the changed dimension / that marks my native
speech, / the salutary inscription that settles / my bones.4” There
are enough resources at the Poetry Foundation to walk carefully and get it
right.
1. from
“The Dead” – Wright, Jay. Transfigurations. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State
University Press, 2000.
2. from
“Inscrutability” – Wright, Jay. Transfigurations. Baton Rouge: Louisiana
State University Press, 2000.
3. from
“The Anatomy of Resonance” – Wright, Jay. Transfigurations. Baton Rouge:
Louisiana State University Press,
2000.
4.
Wright, Jay. The Presentable Act of Reading Absence. Champaign: Dalkey
Archive, 2008.