He was only the USA's Poet Laureate; you'd think there would be millions of likes for this wonderful poet and interesting man. But, because Americans are far more interested in which celebrity gets what kind of haircut, or who wore what to some awards event, I am the 6th person to like this and the first person to comment. Robert Lowell: I miss you and love you, and this poetess uses your Confessional style in much of her work. You influenced so many, including Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton. I am heartened to see this program for those who actually THINK here on UA-cam. Thank you.
Well said, Danielle - I don't think that this is a problem confined to Americans. As a (non-American) poet and poetry reader, Lowell is both a giant and a hero.
I remember long ago attending Robert Lowell's public reading at the University of California at Berkeley at which I sat four rows of chairs in front of him and slightly to his right. He began to read his poems from Life Studies...that poem in which Lowell describes his stay in prison for refusing to be drafted into one of the military services. And when Lowell came to the line in which he tells of his rejection of the call to service, I stood up and begin to clap. I stood against the cat calls and severe looks until the whole room of seven hundred were standing and applauding. While he might have lost faith in the act of Civil Disobedience which he committed, the applause spoke on its own to implore him to celebrate the many many "non-deaths" which he committed. To your memory, Robert! and to the slight smile with which you showed that you understood our deep affection for you for whispering, "No killing, today."
Thank you for honoring Robert Lowell in that way.
He was only the USA's Poet Laureate; you'd think there would be millions of likes for this wonderful poet and interesting man. But, because Americans are far more interested in which celebrity gets what kind of haircut, or who wore what to some awards event, I am the 6th person to like this and the first person to comment.
Robert Lowell: I miss you and love you, and this poetess uses your Confessional style in much of her work. You influenced so many, including Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton. I am heartened to see this program for those who actually THINK here on UA-cam. Thank you.
Life in the modern world, Danielle. Lowell is a relatively new discovery for me. Life changing.
Well, I am just glad he's here. Thank you. :-)
Well said, Danielle - I don't think that this is a problem confined to Americans. As a (non-American) poet and poetry reader, Lowell is both a giant and a hero.
I remember long ago attending Robert Lowell's public reading at the University of California at Berkeley at which I sat four rows of chairs in front of him and slightly to his right. He began to read his poems from Life Studies...that poem in which Lowell describes his stay in prison for refusing to be drafted into one of the military services. And when Lowell came to the line in which he tells of his rejection of the call to service, I stood up and begin to clap. I stood against the cat calls and severe looks until the whole room of seven hundred were standing and applauding. While he might have lost faith in the act of Civil Disobedience which he committed, the applause spoke on its own to implore him to celebrate the many many "non-deaths" which he committed. To your memory, Robert! and to the slight smile with which you showed that you understood our deep affection for you for whispering, "No killing, today."
Video dates to 2005.