The Wanderings of Oisin

For the past week or so I’ve been flipping through The Totality For Kids by Joshua Clover. I heard him read poems from this book a few years ago before it was published, back when I was in college and used to go to readings. I was wanting to read some newish poetry and I somehow remembered his name and lo and behold there was his book at the library. I’m enjoying it. Kind of John Ashbery-ish, which in my opinion is a good thing, only it’s a little more young and hip. But then, maybe I’m off base. I’m just reading this for enjoyment and craft, not criticism.

Before that I read The Wanderings of Oisin and a bunch of other early poems by W.B. Yeats. Oisin is just awesome, a fantasy narrative poem based in Irish mythology. I’ve never read anything quite like it, except maybe Beowulf, and parts of The Odyssey and Metamorphoses. Not bad company to keep. This poem is sort of an anomaly, and probably out of favor these days. I’ve always secretly wanted to write things like this, but was continually pushed in a very different direction by creative writing classes in college. Hard to get away with in 2007 unless you do it ironically (lame), plus you’ve got to have the chops to pull it off, and I don’t know if I have the chops yet. I guess there’s only one way to get them.

Next up: Sleeping With the Dictionary by Harryette Mullen.

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