from Julia Cohen at http://onthemessiersideofneat.blogspot.com/2013/06/open-letter-to-mark-edmundson.html Dear Mark Edmundson, I read your article, “Poetry Slam,” in the latest issue of Harper’s and I’d like to respond directly to your “slam” of contemporary poetry by offering the same audience an alternative perspective: Using only brief fragments of single poems from only 9 living poets (including 1 Canadian, 1 Irish, and 1 actually dead)(endnote 1), Mark Edmundson lambasts the current state of American poetry. I think it’s important to bring to the attention of a larger readership the recent misdirected and lazy criticisms lavished upon contemporary poets that distract from the depth, diversity, and relevance of the work itself. Yes, some readers actually seek out and find poetry that is intellectually, emotionally, and relationally vital. There are two basic cause/effect accusations in “Poetry Slam” that are worthwhile to dissect to show the dubious connections and...
Like the title says.