ABRUPTO

13:18 (JPP)

O ABRUPTO FEITO PELOS SEUS LEITORES: POESIA BRITÂNICA CONTEMPORÃNEA

"Não resisto a enviar-lhe mais um poema que ajuda um pouco a compreender a marginalização de figuras como Bunting pelo establishment literário britânico. É, de facto, curioso verificar como a poesia britânica contemporânea mais genial e inovadora circula, ainda hoje, de forma quase clandestina em pequenas revistas e edições marginais (muitas vezes a cargo dos próprios poetas), e é ignorada quer pelo meio académico, quer pelas principais revistas e jornais literários. Como escreve o poeta e crítico inglês "dissidente" Clive Bush, no seu livro sugestivamente intitulado Out of Dissent, "the truly innovative are marginalised beyond the borders of silent itself." Talvez daqui a um século se ouça falar mais deles!
Aqui vai o poema:

Deconstruction Co.

Dear Sir, they write, we want clean literature,
nothing controversial or near the truth,
nothing committed, what we recommend
is writers' work for the establishment,
it's the best way to get reviewed, we hope
you'll consider the TLS,
and give up wearing mascara, lipstick,
it's bad for the image. You know, men just don't,
the Brit author is macho, conformist,
and wouldn't think like you to make a life
of poetry, who ever would?
And our advice is not to keep apart
surrounded by a small adoring cult
who look and act like you, but to participate

in parties, literary functions,
things that get you on. You seem to have no friends
in publishing, and not to be a parasite,
and this will never do. You're exclusive
and have too much mystique, what do you do
to write such censored off-beat books
that have reviewers chop your hands and feet,
and yes, we're told you wear leopardskin boots
and that's outrageous. Please, be sensible,
adopt the Andrew Motion style of dress,
blended conventionality. We hear
you have too many women friends,
all of them beautiful, and that's not done,
in terms of advancement, men stick with men.
We feel you need another reprimand
for all those seething derisive reviews
have failed to stop you writing. 30 books?
We'd burn the lot. And please pay for the stamp.

(Jeremy Reed)

PS. Curiosamente, aquele poema de Bunting que colocou no Abrupo há uns dias atrás, "What the Chairman Told Tom", refere a situação de um poeta brilhante do norte de Inglaterra, Tom Pickard, a quem foi recusado qualquer apoio que lhe permitisse dedicar-se à poesia.

(Daniela Kato)