CLASSIFICATION
Swallow ID:
8194
Partner Institution:
University of Calgary
Source Collection Label:
Robert Kroetsch fonds
Sub Series:
Robert Kroetsch fonds
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Title:
Kroetsch/Bowering
Title Source:
Transcribed from the artifact
Language:
English
Production Context:
Classroom recording
Identifiers:
[29.1]
Rights
Rights:
In Copyright (InC)
Notes:
Enters Public Domain at the end of 2036
CREATORS
Name:
Kroetsch, Robert
Dates:
1927-2011
CONTRIBUTORS
Name:
Bowering, George
Dates:
1935-
MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
Recording Type:
Analogue
AV Type:
Audio
Material Designation:
Cassette
Physical Composition:
Magnetic Tape
Extent:
1/8 inch
Side:
A and B
Tape Brand:
Unknown acetate
Sound Quality:
Good
Physical Condition:
Good
Other Physical Description:
Slight hiss, readers are clear while introduction and audience are less audible
DIGITAL FILE DESCRIPTION
Duration:
T01:03:33
Size:
1.02 GB
Dates
Date:
1986-05
Type:
Performance Date
Notes:
Dates taken from container and/or accompanying material.
LOCATION
Address:
221, Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
Venue:
Deakin University
Latitude:
-37.84751365
Longitude:
145.1149491
CONTENT
Contents:
George Bowering
[00:01:04]
Performs "Elegy Four".
George Bowering
[00:08:59]
Performs "Elegy Ten".
George Bowering
[00:20:14]
Performs "American Cops".
Robert Kroetsch
[00:26:48]
Performs "Sketches of a Lemon".
Robert Kroetsch
[00:33:11]
Performs "Seed Catalogue".
Robert Kroetsch
[00:47:02]
"Four Questions for George Bowering".
Notes:
- [00:00:12] George Bowering. Long poem, Kerrisdale Elegies. Relationship with Rilke’s Duino Elegies, a rewriting for Vancouver in the 80s. The work consists of ten elegies, George Bowering reads #4 and #10.
- [00:01:04] Elegy #4. Interjection #1: This poems speak to him, which is a true story, he did hear his father’s voice. Interjection #2: George Bowering chooses to skip over some French “because it’s so bad” (no laughter heard). Interjection #3: Poetry described by someone as “musical thought,” which George Bowering thought was “less than apt”
- [00:08:59] Elegy #10. Relates to the concerns of the event – narrative influence. Interjection: “Really uplifting stuff, huh? Really sad.”
- [00:18:55] Poem that George Bowering wants on his tombstone, “Oh lord if I have but one life to live, I hope this ain’t it” (laughter).
- [00:19:25] Describes a new book of old poems, poems which are publically and socially oriented
- [00:20:14] American Cops. Written mid to late 60s and published as a pamphlet prior to inclusion in poetry collection. Dedicated to John Sinclair. Discusses rock n roll political movements, MC5 in Detroit, the political party “Rainbow” which started as the White Panthers. Driving through America as Canadians, unused to seeing guns. Resonates well with the audience (laughter).
- [00:25:51] Robert Kroetsch introductory remarks. Called post-modern writer in Canada, speaking on narrative because of the event theme and the academic concerns of the students in the audience.
- [00:26:48] Sketches of a Lemon. Wary of notions of meaning, tried to pick an object lacking inherent meaning. Interjection: there is a lemon tree, deconstructs his poem for him.
- [00:30:45] Seed Catalogue introduction. Shared text/tradition of seed catalogues, must engage with great garden poetry from Book of Genesis onward. Cabbages as an unexplored entry point. Only two seasons in Canada: winter and poor sledding. Reckoning with the false notion of spring, need to reinterpret our engagement with preconceptions of seasons inherited from British tradition. Interjection #1: Robert Kroetsch did fall off a horse standing still, while also playing with concept of fallen man. Interjection #2: second section picking up on oral tradition, in light of books/media that doesn’t reflect “us” (Canadians) we survive by telling each other stories. Laughter at father killing magpie. Interjection #3: Brome grass section came from telling a young female poet his difficulty in ending, and she told a Saskatchewan cowboy who sent a letter to Robert Kroetsch (the letter became the text).
- [00:46:34] Four Questions for George George Bowering is a response to Kerrisdale Elegies.
- [00:48:10] Question period. #1: George skipping over his bad French. How has multiple readings influenced their opinions of the poems – George Bowering: difference between composition and reading. Notation reflecting primary experience (reading). Explaining concept of notation. Robert Kroetsch: Movement away from speech model, dialoguing with George Bowering. #2: Prose and verse, is it clear which way a piece will go when writing. George Bowering: still imagines it being read out loud regardless of whether it is prose or verse. Robert Kroetsch: still reads as lyrical. Movement between writing the two is fluid.
- * Dating determined to be approximately May 1986. Correspondence with Robert Kroetsch and Brian Edwards occurs only following the conference (591/96.6 4.42). George Bowering also corresponds with Edwards in 1984 and 1986 (correspondence housed at Library and Archives Canada). In the recording, a conference which Robert Kroetsch and George Bowering attended took place in Ottawa a “three weeks earlier” can be dated to April 25-27, 1986 (591/96.6 34.8). In another interview with Edwards, Robert Kroetsch references this conference in May (775/04.25 29.2).
NOTES
RELATED WORKS
Citation:
Bowering, Kerrisdale Elegies (1984). Kroetsch, Sketches of a Lemon (1980); Seed Catalogue (1977); Advice to My Friends (1985).