Wednesday, April 05, 2006

On Being "Too Formulaic"

I think I know what Jordan is talking about here. My gut says the same.

1 comment:

Thomas said...

It takes "insight" (in the sense that Jordan is probably intending) to write a poem, even if you don't want your poems to convey that insight, or any other insight (in a sense Jordan probably is not after).

So I think my answer (just off the top of my head, mind you) is yes, if your two uses of "insight" don't mean the same thing.

I suppose I'm saying insight might be a legitimate means to poetry but not end of it. Since pedagogy is supposed to impart means, not ends, there would be no contradiction.

Jordan takes the product as evidence for the successful transferance of means. And I think this also suggests that formula are best for teaching and, perhaps, theorizing poetry, but are probably less suitable for writing it.

But I'm not going to assert that categorically.