I started a similar conversation in the wrong thread. Shaun suggested I continue it but I haven't felt well the last few days.
My single, central point is I am exhausted reading "Me" poetry. I understand people need to write what moves them and know that English 101 classes everywhere remind students that an "I" narrator isn't necessarily the poet. But anyone reading the vast majority of poetry published today knows the narrator is the poet. It's clear and if the poet comments or is interviewed they say so. I recently read Diane Suess saying her primary strength as a poet is "memory."
While I understand and appreciate that much of it comes from personal stories of societal oppression and contempt, and I in no way am not sympathetic and in agreement with reality, it doesn't automatically result in good poetry.
Inevitably, it'll be said or thought I don't understand the struggles of anyone because I'm a white male, which makes it impossible to have compassion and anger at the tragedy of other people's lives. All I can say to that is Whatever.
As a reader as much as a writer I am simply tired of self-centeredness and poetry as an appendage to politics. We have all written Me Poems, I've written several and will write more, but I am aware there are other directions poetry can go, and one of them the is use of the imagination.
I have two words to say to make my point: Ocean Vuong. Go read his poetry, which has been praised everywhere, and tell me what you think.
I have to say blaming Plath isn't correct. Ginsberg was before her and Lowell was her teacher. Don't forget Snodgrass and others who came out of Iowa in the fifties. Besides, as Susan says, Plath turned her life into a myth. If more Me Poets could do that I wouldn't be complaining. People can say what they want about Ashbery but I find it refreshing to go to him at times and read about ideas.
I deleted my thread because ultimately it's me complaining and who cares. I've recently been frustrated by this but others may thrive in it.
Finally, it doesn't only apply to poetry. The thousands of memoirs and novels are most often drawn from lives. This thing they call autofiction which I can't understand how it is different than Thomas Wolfe or Kerouac or many other earlier novelists.
We live in a very self-centered era is my conclusion so I suppose it can be said literature is merely reflecting the era so I should shut up which I will finally do now.
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