[Gail White]

Since you ask, Janice, I'm reading a really fun book called "Those Who Write For Immortality." I always knew Keats didn't do it alone.

PS: Loved you on New Verse News.

[Lightning Bug]

As a dissenting member of the Selection Committee, I feel the runner-up for the award, Donald Trump, should not have had his support diminished, simply because, as one member stated, "He doesn't need the ducat."

[Allen Tice]

Dear Mr. L. Bug,

I am told that of course independent reports from Members are always valuable as guides to what the Avenue is thinking. Is Donald Trump a 15 critique Eratodumpling already? Write-in candidates must be free and accepted Dumplings to receive a Committee kudos.

Thank you. Keep the faith if you've got any.
G?

[Mark Blaeuer]

It strikes me that this entire GT thread is a kind of poem.

By the way, Janice, I haven't had much time for poetry of late, but this summer I've been dipping occasionally into Jonathan Bate's biography of John Clare.

[Janice D. Soderling]

Thanks, Mark. I'll put that on my list.

I'll take this occasion to relate that this past week I've looked at a wonderful 8-hour series on the English language (8 hours approx.) Here is the link to the first one, and the other links will appear in the sidebar.

I've been absolutely entranced and think all you poets and writers and readers will be too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clC0Rz2QpFM

[Allen Tice]

If he's around, perhaps David Yezzi can post (or a link to) a poem from The New Criterion a year or so ago that quotes and comments on some pre-Chaucerian 14th century English phrases that are close enough to modern English to be inter-intelligible, and which then teases the unimpressed reader.

[Charlotte Innes]

Mark, I love that John Clare biography. It's one of the best around. I've actually read it twice!

Charlotte

[Gregory Dowling]

Originally Posted by Mark Blaeuer

It strikes me that this entire GT thread is a kind of poem.

If it is a poem it must be one by Ashbery.

(I don't mean that as a compliment.)

[Allen Tice]

Gregory, you are just kind enough to him. (But, correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't he anointed?)

[William A. Baurle]

Michael Cantor is a supreme gentleman, and has surprised the dickens* out of me. He's also a very fine poet. So here's my ducat.

*Or is that dickins? I don't have that much dickens in me (having never read even one of his novels all the way through - a bad thing on my part, of which I am duly ashamed, and which I hope to redress, given time), but I've got some dickins, as in Emily Dickinson. Greatest American poet of her age. Far, far better than Walt, though ya gotta love Walt. He was nothing compared to Emily.