Notley's Play Book

The Notley discussion on the evening of the 13th was enjoyable and enlightening. Thanks for letting me be a part.

Again, I do not think I gave much thought to Notley's methods for conveying her feelings about the state of the union, the world, and the universe. Perhaps her method (her play book) is outdated, although as I mentioned, I believe the method can be effective to some extent. With this in mind, I wonder what would be a better way to communicate such ideals? Would a "Notley Blog" serve her as well as, if not better than, poetry published conventionally?

Another question that comes to mind: is Notley writing this poetry for the benefit of the reader or her own benefit? I can appreciate having a sense of frustration that only finds expression in a given form of art, whether that be poetry, music, painting, or sculpture. In such instances, I think this is for the benefit of the artist. Conceivably, Notley might write for her own benefit. Perhaps her current writings help her make sense of the chaos she perceives around her. If a reader or readers connect with her poetry, all the better. I think this is so for many artists. They write, sing, paint, or sculpt for their benefit.

Maybe Notley is attempting to do both.

-Dave