I sat in on a class of hers at Harvard about 12 years ago. It was on contemporary poetry, and honestly, I hardly remember a thing. But I do recall that her teaching style was lively and engaging. At a poetry reading about that time, by Geoffrey Hill, she huffed: "Too hieratic for me!" At another reading, by Charles Simic and Carolyn Forsché, during Forsché's reading she muttered something about political pretensions. I gave her Edwin Muir's autobiography, to thank her for letting me sit in on her class, and she later commented: "Now poets have to write without grass, without horses," and she explained Muir's visions by blaming them on madness and a hard life.
She is generous and very dedicated to her work and to students. She does light up the place with intellectual energy, and of course she has tremendous erudition which she never hesitates to share.
That said, she likes to flaunt her prestigious position, not always to the benefit of poetry or poets.
Last edited by Andrew Frisardi; 10-13-2012 at 01:03 AM.
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