/I have two tests of others’ work—does it hold me and do I have an urge
to change something? This passes both. In my humble and limited view,
good stuff. David Ritchie, Puppyland, Oregon////-----------////I'll second that./
/John//
//----------------//
//
/
/First, a statement of agreement with both David and John concerning the
quality of your poem, Lawrence. (I find this poem, as I do many of the
others you have posted to this list, outstanding.) Second, I am
intrigued by David’s criteria: "two tests of others’ work — does it hold
me and do I have an urge to change something?” I often use the (German)
word “Auseinandersetzung” in describing my engagement with the works and
arguments of others (particularly philosophers) and have difficulty
translating it in a way that fully captures what I am trying to express.
(Usually I wave my hands in the direction of ‘dialogue and debate.’)
Your ‘two tests’ are an expression of principles that resonate with what
I mean when I use that German word — thanks for that. Third, I am
wondering, John, whether your ‘seconding’ of David’s remarks was
intended to apply only to his judgement (‘good stuff’), or also to his
criteria. Chris Bruce, coincidently immersed in an interesting study of
Kant’s KRITIK DER URTEILSKRAFT [CRITIQUE OF JUDGEMENT], in Kiel, Germany/
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Both. The second, that I am moved to do something has become increasingly important to me. Increasingly I
find that online conversations go round in circles or end in one round of "I like," "I don't
like," "I recall...." The notion that ideas are where you start to think in search of fresh
insight or development of better ideas seems to have largely disappeared. Or maybe it is just my aging brain.
John
