English Lingo

Now that Ruth Padel's smear e-mails to journalists concerning Derek Walcott, prior to the election, have been made public, one ponders the curious use of language used by Ms. Padel. After admitting that her e-mails called attention to "The Lecherous Professor" - circulated anonymously to electors - she said: "I'm very, very sorry he pulled out." And Oxford historian Oswyn Murray, one of her chief supporters, said: "I'm standing behind her." The London Sunday Observer commented: "He refused to be drawn further."


addendum, Wednesday, May 27: click here @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8067432.stm
and scroll down to the bottom for Michael Horovitz' excellent take on the whole business and its relation to poets and poetry.


addendum, Monday, June 8.....Not that the incest-ridden world of American poets and poetry is any less tawdry (and even more obvious). In THE NATION (issue of June 15), a weekly newsmagazine which purports to be both independent and left of liberal in its politics (despite its policy of accepting adverts from all groups, including the right-wing and firms raping the Amazon of its natural resources) there was, for the first time ever in that journal, an entire page devoted to poetry; actually, it was one page with one poet and one poem. Brathwaite. Well, perhaps not my cup of tea, but always interesting, and a major Caribbean poet. And with "Kumina" he achieved greatness - at a heavy price. But to whom is this new poem dedicated? Peter Gizzi. And who is Peter Gizzi? The poetry editor of THE NATION of course.