When I discovered Silent Type #1, I was in zine heaven. Silent Type quickly became my most cherished zine of all time, and inspired me on a quest to restore my parent's manual Royal. When I heard another issue would be published I eagerly awaited Silent Type #2 like a kid waiting for Christmas.
Issue #2 is equally visually inviting, engaging and gorgeous. But the words ... that's where I have trouble.
For many years I published a literary zine called Color Wheel and for years before that, Bone & Flesh. I am not an ivory tower professor or even an English major - I just love quality poetry and fiction, though I admit its attraction has decreased for me over time. My favorite poets and writers are "folk" poets - the unschooled, the unwashed, the outsiders from the elite world of academic poetry.
Having said that, there was not one poem in Silent Type #2 that I could connect with. And I suppose that's the whole thing about poetry - it is purely subjective. Still, when I read lines like
"Her life was like the clouds when
I was a child hanging large against
the blue sky, almost permanent."
or ... "His eyes were too big, he wouldn't take the goggles off"
or ... "To the ground I flopped
and on me it hopped
Obscene metal lips were drooling"
or .. "The day may be over
But none the less
The new season is here
I'll give it my best"
... I want to scream!!!
Sometimes poetry is best left in your personal private notebook.
1 comment:
Ha ha, totally fair. You know what's funny, I am not a poetry fan, myself. The idea for this zine was that typewriter enthusiasts take a shot at poetry-- it was just kind of the challenge thrown down for this issue (as opposed to being a Deadly Serious Poetry Zine). Also I like poetry because it's easier to format than pages-long screeds :-) There will be a third silent type, haven't thought of the theme completely yet. Not poetry though, so don't lose hope ;-)
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