Quote:
Originally Posted by Hilary Biehl
Your last paragraph is interesting. I feel as if I learn the most from poets that have very different voices than I do. I don't write like ee cummings or Stevie Smith, for instance, and wouldn't try to, but I find their poetry inspiring and invaluable. Of course there are also poets whose skill I can appreciate but who leave me absolutely cold. I haven't noticed that the school of poetry they subscribe to makes any difference in that regard, though.
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My experience has been the same. Out of everyone I've read I've looked at Leonard Cohen the most extensively, but it's not been his overall style (or variety of styles) that have been the influence, but rather more granular elements of his writing that I like.
Lorca influenced Cohen and he influenced me as well, but again not his overall style. Up until now I'd never even thought to look at the overall styles or traditions they were following.
I guess on another level my current interest isn't just about the writing aspect alone, but also historical. Studying poetry for its own sake has become a hobby of mine, it passes the time. Which makes Hirsch's book such a good one to own.