Ars Poeticas

Lyric meditations on writing poetry in a time of ecological crisis and right wing populism_x000D_ _x000D_ During the time of an increasingly powerful alt-right which was also the time when species extinction was ever increasing, Juliana Spahr sat down to read Brecht. She was looking for an answer to Brecht's question about the dark times, about whether there will also be singing during the dark times. The answer that Brecht provides is that yes, that poets will sing of the dark times. In the six ars poeticas that Spahr writes, she sings of the dark times but also of coral, the pop song's possible liberation, and the love of comrades. She writes not only of the rich history of what politics and poetry have done with each other, but what they might yet do together._x000D_ _x000D_ [Sample Poem]_x000D_ _x000D_ from ARS POETICA 1: CORAL _x000D_ _x000D_ To write poetry after Castle Bravo._x000D_ Then to write poetry after 1500 feet._x000D_ After high-quality steel frame buildings_x000D_ not completely collapsed, except_x000D_ all panels and roofs blown in._x000D_ After 2,000 feet._x000D_ After reinforced concrete buildings collapsed_x000D_ or standing but badly damaged._x000D_ After 3,500 feet._x000D_ After church buildings completely destroyed._x000D_ After brick walls severely cracked._x000D_ After 4,400 feet._x000D_ After 5,300 feet._x000D_ After roof tiles bubbled and melted._x000D_ After 6,500 feet._x000D_ After mass distortion of large steel buildings._x000D_ To write the Cold War and doves._x000D_ The Cold War and tapeworms._x000D_ The Cold War and sails of ships._x000D_ The Cold War and the steel of bridges._x000D_ To write poetry after that._x000D_ To write in a world with few nutrients,_x000D_ one that rocks back and forth._x000D_ The same beginning in both the…