PULITZER PRIZE WINNER '22 "frank: sonnets" by Diane Seuss alongside "The Hurting Kind" by Ada Limon.

[@marlenaeva3813]

I came here because i bought Frank: sonnets and loved it so much, I need to express this somewhere. Her poems can be read and re-read anytime, they're so clever and so unique.

[@sonampalmo3578]

The first thing I read by Diane Seuss was called, "Romantic Poetry." It blew me away.

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll go look for it now.

[@SpringboardThought]

Constraint on form as something analogous to poverty is a very interesting notion. In game design, constraint is really helpful. For instance, writing reference material that has to fit on a page-but I never thought of it in those terms. Very interesting!

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

I know, right?! I looked it up and she actually writes it in one of her poems in this book: "The sonnet, like poverty, teaches you what you can do / without." I'm not at all familiar with game design, but I imagine it's somehow analogous to computer programming? Working on the game line by line, with all possible options taken into account, within very tight constraints. Or maybe I'm wrong. That's in many ways what poets do, working line by line, thinking of all possible meanings, and using different constraints to condense the material so the reader can "play". Poetry as a table-top game. OMG I love that. In fact, poetry is usually best when discussed with several other people. It's not a game of solitaire (despite general belief that it is). OH. I just noticed how similar the word "poverty" is to "poetry". Seuss does indeed do so much here.

[@SpringboardThought]

@@theonlyrealproperty2567 I think so! Regarding game design and coding and poetry, there’s a serendipitous confluence there, I think.

[@clairecollison2305]

Hi Elleanor, thanks I enjoyed your presentation and approach. I'm teaching an online course for City Lit - an intro to poetry, and I'm just planning a class on the sonnet. I'm including Seuss, of course!

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

Hi Claire, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!! I hope your class is a great success. I look forward to watching the videos on your channel (I just subscribed).

[@jbullets5198]

Im a little late to the game but reading Frank: Sonnets now and its an absoluetly stunning book of poetry. Diane is a master of imagery.

[@mikefrost5129]

I, too, can’t comment because I have not read either poet yet. But I would also send encouragement. I look forward to all your videos.

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

Thank you so much!!

[@errata9968]

I don’t really have a comment at the moment, just sending encouragement.

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

OMG errata you’re still here aaaiiii thank you 😊

[@poetrycrone]

You've sold me on Seuss's book. I'll give it a try eventually, I'm try to work both backwards and forwards among US prize winners (and runners up) without much time at present. I can acknowledge Ada Limon's ability and don't begrudge her any accolades but what I've read of her hasn't excited me. Have you ever tried Anne Carson?

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

I have only read Carson's critical work / essays. Thanks for reminding me to try her poetry again. I so appreciate your comments and presence here.

[@poetrycrone]

@@theonlyrealproperty2567 She has a book, "Wrong Norma," being considered for the (US) National Book Award in poetry (they have a 10-book long list). I'm about midway through "Wrong Norma." Some of it I don't get, but some of it I perceive (while not sure this is how she intended it to be perceived) as wry and cheeky.

[@theonlyrealproperty2567]

@@poetrycrone Oh yes! I did try to read it and I just didn't get what the fuss was about at all. I didn't connect with it, not intellectually, not emotionally. I didn't want to talk about it here because I'm a bit embarrassed as she's a huge name. What truth serum did you put in this comment box??? Eleanor x