Hello, My Name Is...
At Susan's suggestion, I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself since I have been silent thus far. I'm a first-year PhD student living on Maui. Although I managed to fly over once a week last semester for classes, I decided to save a little money this spring. At first, I considered taking a leave of absence, but Susan graciously agreed to guide me through a 699 independent reading. To make it easier on both of us, I am following your 613 syllabus and reading a few other poetry collections. I was hoping to comment on Meadows' work, but my book disappeared temporarily (long story). Anyway, you will hopefully hear from me regarding future readings.
That said, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed reading the blog so far and to ask in advance for your patience since I won't be familiar with whatever discussions occur in class. I was going to write a little here about my thoughts on the purpose of poetry since that topic seems to have naturally come up in class, but this morning, I was struck by comments regarding Taulapapa McMullin's decision not to include a glossary. I had just written to Susan about another Pacific writer who made the same decision.
Just based on the discussions I heard in classes last semester, and what I've seen lately, it seems like this is a common decision for Pacific writers using non-English words, themes, etc. While I like the idea of challenging the reader and not feeling as if everything has to be spelled out and explained, it does seem like an exclusionary tactic that limits a writer's audience. Susan suggested (forgive the paraphrasal) that here in Hawai'i, many writers feel that we are writing for and amongst ourselves rather than for others. I just wonder if that's how you all are feeling about your writing as well. I went to college and graduate school on the east coast, but since I grew up in Hawai'i, my poetry often included Hawaiian words, themes, and landscapes...and I did feel compelled to include gloassaries/notes, which were appreciated. While I suppose that I consider myself a Pacific writer, I don't write only for a Pacific audience. Perhaps I am underestimating my audience in presuming that east coast folk wouldn't be as willing to look up unfamiliar words or themes, but I think that it's more that they wouldn't know where or how to do so. Here, we can recognize something as Hawaiian or Samoan, for instance, even if we don't necessarily have the exact definition or reference in mind, but a mainland or international reader might not have that foundation or starting point. And, I think, that poetry should be accessible in that way. Your thoughts?
Nice to meet you all,
Noel (like Noelle, not Nole)
That said, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed reading the blog so far and to ask in advance for your patience since I won't be familiar with whatever discussions occur in class. I was going to write a little here about my thoughts on the purpose of poetry since that topic seems to have naturally come up in class, but this morning, I was struck by comments regarding Taulapapa McMullin's decision not to include a glossary. I had just written to Susan about another Pacific writer who made the same decision.
Just based on the discussions I heard in classes last semester, and what I've seen lately, it seems like this is a common decision for Pacific writers using non-English words, themes, etc. While I like the idea of challenging the reader and not feeling as if everything has to be spelled out and explained, it does seem like an exclusionary tactic that limits a writer's audience. Susan suggested (forgive the paraphrasal) that here in Hawai'i, many writers feel that we are writing for and amongst ourselves rather than for others. I just wonder if that's how you all are feeling about your writing as well. I went to college and graduate school on the east coast, but since I grew up in Hawai'i, my poetry often included Hawaiian words, themes, and landscapes...and I did feel compelled to include gloassaries/notes, which were appreciated. While I suppose that I consider myself a Pacific writer, I don't write only for a Pacific audience. Perhaps I am underestimating my audience in presuming that east coast folk wouldn't be as willing to look up unfamiliar words or themes, but I think that it's more that they wouldn't know where or how to do so. Here, we can recognize something as Hawaiian or Samoan, for instance, even if we don't necessarily have the exact definition or reference in mind, but a mainland or international reader might not have that foundation or starting point. And, I think, that poetry should be accessible in that way. Your thoughts?
Nice to meet you all,
Noel (like Noelle, not Nole)
posted by Noël at 11:20 AM
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