[Peter Earsman]

Does anyone know of a better, more evocative minimalist poem that the following?

The Red Wheelbarrow
By William Carlos Williams


so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens


As one critic has said, "You don't read this as much as you stand in front of it and look at it - much like a canvas in an art gallery.

Anyway, I think it's truly wondrous.

[Julie]

I am probably alone in this, but I cannot stand WCW. The fact that his initials and that of World Championship Wrestling are the same must be some sort of sign.

If I saw that poem posted in a workshop, I'd comment on the six lines having three prepositional phrases and three adjective/noun constructions.

Julie

[mandolin]

You're not alone -- except, perhaps, for The Kermess.

[This message has been edited by mandolin (edited January 30, 2001).]

[Peter Earsman]

World Championship Wrestling?
Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh
That's just about the only image one can't get from the red wheelbarrow.

Oh, just a minute.....damn

[Michael Juster]

Peter, did you see my parody of this about a month ago?

[Joel Lamore]

Peter,

I'd be interested in some reasons why you find it so compelling a poem. And what is poetic minimalism? I don't know if you are using that term is some specific way, or just denoting short poems. Could there be a long minimalist poem?

[Terence]

Hmmm. From the strong response here, I'm inclined to believe that there are three names one should not mention around Neo-Formalists: William Carlos Williams, Alan Ginsberg, and Charles Bukowski.

[Tim Murphy]

Bukowski was the victim of one of the greatest clerihews ever written--by none other than our own Professor Mezey. From memory:
Charles Bukowski
couldn't find his house key,
but he was such a souse
he was lucky to find his house.

Much more merriment awaits you in the clerihews section of Mezey's new Collected Poems. University of Arkansas Press.

[Golias]

Minimalist poetry has a way to go. It has not yet reached the heights or depths of minimalist painting, but I think the following comes close:

----------------
speck

.

----------------

G.


[This message has been edited by Golias (edited January 31, 2001).]

[Gabriel]

"Does anyone know of a better, more evocative minimalist poem that the following?"

Well, one that leaps to mind would be his friend Pound's poem, "In a Station of the Metro"

An apparition of these faces in a crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.

I wonder why the strong feelings towards Mr. Williams, there certainly seems like a decided move away from him. I am curious if there are any reasons why Julie, Mandolin, or anyone else. Let me make perfectly clear, I'm not trying to get in an argument or mudslinging match here, I'd just like to get a clearer view of your various perspectives.

Thanks in advance.

-Gabriel