[John Whitworth]

I think it's a matter of how much, how often. Shakespeare was arguably gay, or gay on Tuesdays. Marlowe was gay every day of the week. Shakespeare sounds like a Tory, Marlowe is surely a leftie. But these things do not define their art . Auden wrote a couple of love poems everybody knows. But you don't have to be gay to like them. Auden started left, ended right. But we lovers of his poetry don't care.

[Julie Steiner]

Oh, boogers, now I can't even feel smug about the scansion, as I scanned the ultimate line rather than the penultimate. (But I console myself with the fact that John is giving me full credit, anyway. And that I scanned the actual line in question as Christopher did, without blinking.)

Slinking off....

[John Whitworth]

There you are. You were right all along. That carping fellow has no ear.

[Christopher ONeill]

Originally Posted by John Whitworth

There you are. You were right all along. That carping fellow has no ear.

'That carping fellow' spotted a metrical irregularity which may, on closer inspection, have turned out to be only a metrical snare.

Isn't that what good criticism does? Makes us notice things?

'That carping fellow' also has the good sense to notice just how good Fenton is - no mean feat with a poet whose output is as slim and neglected as William Empson's.

I sometimes feel as if my own adulation of Fenton is as niche and deplorable as a penchant for beige suede slip-ons;- or being gay even.

[Tim Murphy]

While enumerating favorite contemporary Brits, I'd be remiss in not mentioning Cope and Whitworth, my favorite resident British poets. Dick Davis I prefer to claim for Ohio.

[John Whitworth]

That fellow likes Empson too. His are the best villanelles in the English language.

[Max Goodman]

This is a long-time favorite of mine, too. Like Mr. Anonymous, I don't have anything more than that to say about it, but I thought I'd chime in anyway.

Amit's question about a wrong way is a good one. I assume free verse was meant (and agree with John's comment), but maybe others (or John himself) have a different or more specific answer.

[Gail White]

Me too - I've always loved this poem (particularly because the sandwich and nightie bits cause me to bust out laughing). I'm delighted to be reminded of it.
Also, I think the penultimate line will scan if you throw the emphasis on the first word -- THAT'S all you are!

This is right up there with Swift's Judgment Day where God finds the human race too far beneath contempt to be worth damning.

[John Whitworth]

Dick Davis was Irish, I think, not Brit at all. That's before he was American. He once said nice things about me though I can't remember what they were.

[Charlotte Innes]

Dick D was a Brit. Grew up in Hull, I believe. Lovely man and fabulous poet.

No time to post-- will be back!

Charlotte