Amen to this, and thanks, on Auden's great poem. I often think of Robert Lowell's remark that 'every poet has a thousand readers, all of whom think they are the only one'. Poems speak intimately to that one ideal reader.
In this connection, my new collection, History of the Child, takes the perspective of the Child personna to be an imaginary friend. And yet also, to be imaginary enemy, or antagonist.
Thank you for this lively post, read over here from within the falling empire. (I love the quirky particularity of Auden's 16% --not 15%, not 20%--who are "workers." What would we say it is today? Smaller, indeed.)
With all due respect to your friend’s reading, the literati are not mistaken about civic duty. In the absence of hope they retreat into solipsistic solace.
"Poets write, in a conversation of influence and allusion, with poets that went before them, and given those poets tend ot be dead, any friendship being forged is by definition imaginary."
Amen to this, and thanks, on Auden's great poem. I often think of Robert Lowell's remark that 'every poet has a thousand readers, all of whom think they are the only one'. Poems speak intimately to that one ideal reader.
In this connection, my new collection, History of the Child, takes the perspective of the Child personna to be an imaginary friend. And yet also, to be imaginary enemy, or antagonist.
Thank you for this lively post, read over here from within the falling empire. (I love the quirky particularity of Auden's 16% --not 15%, not 20%--who are "workers." What would we say it is today? Smaller, indeed.)
With all due respect to your friend’s reading, the literati are not mistaken about civic duty. In the absence of hope they retreat into solipsistic solace.
Such a fabulous poem - I'd never read it before. Thanks so much for this introduction.
Enjoyed this, thanks!
"Poets write, in a conversation of influence and allusion, with poets that went before them, and given those poets tend ot be dead, any friendship being forged is by definition imaginary."
- gordon phinn
Thanks for the intriguing post and references.
Imaginary friends know exactly where to place themselves within the audience performing '...all the world's a stage'.
Given the 37 readers most poets have, they're (we're) better off writing for ourselves.