By Mary Dezember
A Review from Dr. Dezember’s View
Defying Time & Space: Response Poems
Recording—whether analog or digital formats—offers a type of communication that defies space and time.
The recording of one’s thoughts and creativity—such as in books, videos, photos—can reach anyone who is reading or viewing.
Even if the creator or person featured is no longer alive, it seems as though they are there speaking to us through the recording. In these cases, our predecessors can “reach” us from even centuries before. Think Shakespeare—as just one example, of course.
However, can a recording we do today reach back to those who have come before us?
If we are talking about poetry recorded (printed) on the page, recorded digitally, or performed, then, yes. By writing response poems, poets can, in a sense, defy time by reaching back to those poets who are our predecessors.
Response poems are poems that, in some way, “speak” to another poet, living or dead, as a form of homage or of parody or as a direct address.
The response poem can be an attribution to the form, style, or particular wording of a part of a poem or of an entire poem of another poet. The response poem, because it is a type of imitation, always credits the original poet and poem.
Ultimately, writing poems as responses to other poems demonstrates an engagement with poetry, a personal appreciation of recognized poems, a love for the art of poetry.
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From silence to page to stage, poet and performer Don McIver proves time and time again his dedication to poetry.
