Berryman Bread
So far I'm very much enjoying reading new U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine's 1993 book The Bread of Time: Toward an Autobiography, which I was fortunate enough to find in hardback for $1.25 at the local Goodwill store earlier this week. I believe this is the first autobiography I've read in five years, the last being Dharma Punx, coincidentally by another Levine, first name Noah (no close relation, as far as I know).
Philip devotes the entire first chapter of The Bread of Time to John Berryman, whose workshop he took while a student at the University of Iowa in the 1950s. I had to stop reading and meditate a bit when I came across this bit of wisdom Berryman shared with Philip's class:
"You should always be trying to write a poem you are unable to write, a poem you lack the technique, the language, the courage to achieve. Otherwise you're merely imitating yourself, going nowhere, because that's always easiest."
Philip devotes the entire first chapter of The Bread of Time to John Berryman, whose workshop he took while a student at the University of Iowa in the 1950s. I had to stop reading and meditate a bit when I came across this bit of wisdom Berryman shared with Philip's class:
"You should always be trying to write a poem you are unable to write, a poem you lack the technique, the language, the courage to achieve. Otherwise you're merely imitating yourself, going nowhere, because that's always easiest."
Posted by Jesus Crisis at 8/17/2011 10:56 AM 
Categories: Writing and Poetry
Tags: Philip Levine John Berryman Noah Levine
Categories: Writing and Poetry
Tags: Philip Levine John Berryman Noah Levine
2 points of interest - 1 > you read my autobiography within the past 5 years (an interesting feat since it's still unpublished) and 2 - down in Mexico we met Max who not only roomed with Dylan in college briefly in 1960 or so but claims he was also with Berryman on the bridge the night he jumped.
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On number 1: So True. Can't believe I forgot about that, though I have a good excuse. I have your Criminal filed under poetry, not biography. It's both, but I could only put it in one place on my shelves.
On number 2: I recall your blogs about Max. Intriguing story. Berryman's father also committed suicide, when John was only something like 12. After reading this chapter by Levine I want to dive much more deeply into Berryman's work. Kinda makes me not wanna read the rest of Levine's autobiography, because I have a hard time envisioning how it could be as good as the first chapter.
Number 3: I first became interested in Berryman after I heard Nick Traenkner read selections from JB's Dream Songs. Can't remember now if he read 'em at the Literary Cafe or when he featured for us at the 806 Wine & Martini Bar in Tremont. Afterward, I had to go out and buy the book, which I've still not finished, though I still wanna rank it among the best poetry books I've ever read.
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John / You should read 'What Work Is' by Philip Levine.I think I also bought this book in a Goodwill Store (or something much like it). I could lend / give it to you...
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Thanks, Kevin! There are several glowing short reviews of What Work Is on the back cover of The Bread of Time. I'm still in the process of educating myself on Levine, with whose work I was largely unfamiliar (except for one fuck poem) before he was named Poet Laureate. I'm liking what I see so far.
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Great advice for the poet, and great advice for life too. I'm going to put it on my refrigerator with all my other little poems and inspirations.
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I agree, Tara. Though I'd never say another poet "should" do anything, I think this is stellar, and it's advice I want to follow and sometimes in some ways I already do and have though I could (and perhaps should) even more. Like Berryman, I guess I'm fond of a good paradox.
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good quote.... also a good buy.. didn't know they had books at the good will.
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Gives new meaning to the phrase Good Will Hunting!
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