Customer Reviews

The Sighted Singer: Two Works on Poetry for Readers and Writers

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This is an unusual but wonderful book for writers. Imagine a slightly more mystical Wittgenstein retreated to Galway Ireland and returned with a manuscript on the subjet of poetry: The Sighted Singer could be that manuscript.One some level this analogy is entirely superficial: the numbered section and paragraph organization is a direct descendent of Wittgenstein's Tractatus. But the Sighted Singer shares much more with the Tractatus than that: poetic thinking so rigorous it becomes almost mystical, a ladder one must pull up after one has climbed up it.Whether the author's poetics are "right" or "true" is almost inconsequential. His propositions are so challenging and so thought-provoking that the mere experience of reading this book is valuable.If you are a writer or serious reader of poetry, this book will make you more serious about the task at hand in either endeavor.

This book is presented as a conversation between two poets, but really it's an excuse for Allen Grossman to talk. His tone is condescending and patronizing toward both Halliday and the reader, which instantly makes you dislike the book. Beyond that, the insights that are in the book are vague, not well argued/supported and very abstract. This book does not open you to thinking about poetry, but rather attempts to lecture you on a single viewpoint that's incomprehensible. Save your money and read poets that actually matter.

There is very little worthwhile that is written about poetry. Exceptions to this include everything Allen Grossman has ever said or done. He offers us hope for the future life of poetry. If you are a serious poet (I doubt that you are-there are only a handful on our planet right now, as far as I can tell), if you are AT ALL serious you should read this book.