Comments on: Ignorance as an Asset http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/2010/02/ignorance-as-an-asset/ Poetry Editor and Struggling Poet Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:38:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Poetry News For February 9, 2010 | Poetry Hut Blog http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/2010/02/ignorance-as-an-asset/#comment-843 Poetry News For February 9, 2010 | Poetry Hut Blog Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:54:17 +0000 http://timothy-green.org/blog/?p=1142#comment-843 [...] http://www.defense.gov//releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13290 [...] [...] http://www.defense.gov//releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13290 [...]

]]> By: Tim http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/2010/02/ignorance-as-an-asset/#comment-842 Tim Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:24:57 +0000 http://timothy-green.org/blog/?p=1142#comment-842 Yeah, you're right, Rob. I think small, highly selective MFA programs, that pay you to teach as you train to become the teacher you always wanted to be, are great things. And any time someone wants to pay you to go, you might as well go -- they're getting their money's worth and paying you for a reason. My problem is just with the idea that you need an MFA to be a poet, or that an MFA even makes you a better poet. Or that only MFA-sanctioned professional poets have valid opinions about poetry. Or that an MFA is useful to any degree, other than becoming a teacher or killing time. Yeah, you’re right, Rob. I think small, highly selective MFA programs, that pay you to teach as you train to become the teacher you always wanted to be, are great things. And any time someone wants to pay you to go, you might as well go — they’re getting their money’s worth and paying you for a reason. My problem is just with the idea that you need an MFA to be a poet, or that an MFA even makes you a better poet. Or that only MFA-sanctioned professional poets have valid opinions about poetry. Or that an MFA is useful to any degree, other than becoming a teacher or killing time.

]]> By: Rob Greene http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/2010/02/ignorance-as-an-asset/#comment-841 Rob Greene Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:46:15 +0000 http://timothy-green.org/blog/?p=1142#comment-841 Tim, Thanks for the post. Yes, completely agree Tim. But please don't lump all MFAs together. You're right things need to change. Had 2 lit courses as a hard science major. Lost a brother and almost lost everything. Started writing poetry in counseling, won a blind contest, got a few poems taken and was recruited. A new baby on the way for me made the offer of health insurance and a full ride with stipend to an MFA program look too good to pass up. May be it was my "blue collar pride" in the end that sent me as well, never looked at it that way. May be pick up a journeyman trade with the goal of opening a poetry bookstore after this stop. Discussing poetry like an academic ain't ever going to be for me. I finally know most of the terms but I'm still very instinctual, often rude and too honest while critiquing. Too honest in other ways as well. Luckily my faculty is nonjudgmental and values us with our many faults. Well they value the honest faults of the poet over cunning nastiness at least. I certainly wasn't recruited based on scholastic achievements. Things are changing here Tim. Tim,
Thanks for the post. Yes, completely agree Tim.

But please don’t lump all MFAs together. You’re right things need to change.

Had 2 lit courses as a hard science major. Lost a brother and almost lost everything. Started writing poetry in counseling, won a blind contest, got a few poems taken and was recruited.

A new baby on the way for me made the offer of health insurance and a full ride with stipend to an MFA program look too good to pass up. May be it was my “blue collar pride” in the end that sent me as well, never looked at it that way.

May be pick up a journeyman trade with the goal of opening a poetry bookstore after this stop.

Discussing poetry like an academic ain’t ever going to be for me.

I finally know most of the terms but I’m still very instinctual, often rude and too honest while critiquing.

Too honest in other ways as well. Luckily my faculty is nonjudgmental and values us with our many faults. Well they value the honest faults of the poet over cunning nastiness at least.

I certainly wasn’t recruited based on scholastic achievements.

Things are changing here Tim.

]]> By: Tim http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/2010/02/ignorance-as-an-asset/#comment-840 Tim Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:02:11 +0000 http://timothy-green.org/blog/?p=1142#comment-840 Well for the record, I did go to through an MFA-like program eventually, because I got a really good offer, and the potential future utility outweighed my blue collar pride. But it wasn't without trepidation, and it wasn't a very useful program for poets anyway. Karen, I think there's a punch line, but the joke's on them. Well for the record, I did go to through an MFA-like program eventually, because I got a really good offer, and the potential future utility outweighed my blue collar pride. But it wasn’t without trepidation, and it wasn’t a very useful program for poets anyway.

Karen, I think there’s a punch line, but the joke’s on them.

]]> By: Mather Schneider http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/2010/02/ignorance-as-an-asset/#comment-839 Mather Schneider Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:02:19 +0000 http://timothy-green.org/blog/?p=1142#comment-839 I don't even have a B.A. Or an A.A. Remember those? I don’t even have a B.A.

Or an A.A.

Remember those?

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