[Tim Murphy]

Richard was truly amazed to be introduced to the internet, to the notion of an on-line poetry workshop spanning so many continents. And deeply delighted to encounter the work of ten skilled poets utterly unknown to him. His comments were as carefully crafted as were the poems, which I thought were representative of our best. He gave freely of his time and wisdom, and I want to defer the many questions you posed for his return engagement, of which I think we are fairly well assured by the high quality of the varied work we presented. My warmest congratulations to the ten writers who offered their work for this discussion.

Rhina Espaillat returns in two weeks as guest lariat to judge the great sonnet bake-off II. Please e-mail me no more than one published sonnet at timmurphyis@att.net. As I did with Dick Davis last spring, I'll choose about ten sonnets, and then Rhina and we will all have a go at them.

[Shekhar Aiyar]

Tim,

Well, we all owe you the deepest thanks for bringing Wilbur to Erato. Welcome back!

Shekhar

[Henry Quince]

Yes, Tim, plaudits for organising this "masterclass". It has been interesting indeed to read RW’s comments on all those poems from the Sphere.

Since nobody else has been tactless enough to ask the tempting question, I’ll be the bunny! Please be assured that this is not intended to start or restart any firefights — it’s just a question about which I’m genuinely curious.

We know that Richard Wilbur’s views on the prospective war are different from yours and Alan’s. Did the subject come up at all during your visit last month, and if so was anyone’s position modified as a result?

Henry

[Terese Coe]

Tim

Thank you for bringing us Richard Wilbur's trenchant comments and advice, a master class in every way.

About the Sonnet Bake-Off: are translations eligible for entry?

Terese

[Tim Murphy]

Henry, once a year or so we can spend a few days with the Wilburs, and the two couples spent our time discussing Mssrs Hayes, Watkins, Murray, etc. Not to mention Frost and Hardy. I veered too close to the subject you raise just once (I think in the context of Frost's prescient aversion to the nanny state), and Alan stamped so hard on my unshod toe that I had to limp back to the car.

No, Terese, no translations. But that would be a great subject for a future bakeoff. Beowulf would win!

[Terese Coe]

A future bakeoff for translations, good idea!

Terese



[This message has been edited by Terese Coe (edited March 15, 2003).]

[Henry Quince]

Tim, thanks for not stamping on my foot there.

A question I meant to ask before: Why is the "bakeoff" limited to published sonnets?

[Rhina P. Espaillat]

My thanks to Alan for the job he did on your toes, Tim: I hope he was wearing hob-nailed boots. There's entirely too much time spent on what divides us and far too little on what we can all love in common and rejoice in. But I do hope your toes have healed.