Would it be too quarrelsome to note that many care about both the evolution of birdsong and the sound of a nightingale? Or that the structure of a voice box also has a formal beauty? I don't think it's too soft-headed to find poetry there. Instead, my problem with Frederick Turner's comment is its glibness. If he treats the brain's evolution as a gimmick, how can I trust him to talk about poems, or to write one?
Enjoyed the review. I was a little surprised by the book; I knew Bill was working on it, but I didn't know it was out.
ReplyDeleteSam Gwynn
rsgwynn1@cs.com
Patrick,
ReplyDeleteA very fine job. Thank heaven you resisted the "Thirteen Ways of Looking at..." snare (though I expect you were never particularly tempted).
Would it be too quarrelsome to note that many care about both the evolution of birdsong and the sound of a nightingale? Or that the structure of a voice box also has a formal beauty? I don't think it's too soft-headed to find poetry there. Instead, my problem with Frederick Turner's comment is its glibness. If he treats the brain's evolution as a gimmick, how can I trust him to talk about poems, or to write one?
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