Comments on: Into the Garden: Liviu Librescu http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/ How can we live without the unknown before us? —Rene Char Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:41:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Nathan http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141844 Nathan Tue, 01 May 2007 18:33:59 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141844 (applause) (applause)

]]> By: Teju http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141570 Teju Tue, 01 May 2007 12:22:04 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141570 Sorry Dave, my comment was unclear. I meant the grief of the living (relatives, etc) not that of the dead. The two "someone"s weren't meant to be the same. Good poem. Sorry Dave, my comment was unclear. I meant the grief of the living (relatives, etc) not that of the dead. The two “someone”s weren’t meant to be the same.

Good poem.

]]> By: Dave http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141317 Dave Tue, 01 May 2007 01:17:41 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141317 Thanks for the kind words. This expected voice thing is always tricky, so I'm glad to hear that at least a few people thought it worked here. robin andrea - "Summoning" is exactly the right word for what poems like this one are trying to do, I think. Joe - Not exactly a fit, but I did write it all in one go, in the course of about two hours yesterday morning - or three hours if you count the germination period after I read the article that sparked it. Teju - I tend to think the dead are beyond grief, though I could be very wrong about that. Actually I tend not to believe in an afterlife at all - except when I am writing poems like this one. I'm glad to hear that you approached it with a properly skeptical view. Thanks for the kind words. This expected voice thing is always tricky, so I’m glad to hear that at least a few people thought it worked here.

robin andrea – “Summoning” is exactly the right word for what poems like this one are trying to do, I think.

Joe – Not exactly a fit, but I did write it all in one go, in the course of about two hours yesterday morning – or three hours if you count the germination period after I read the article that sparked it.

Teju – I tend to think the dead are beyond grief, though I could be very wrong about that. Actually I tend not to believe in an afterlife at all – except when I am writing poems like this one. I’m glad to hear that you approached it with a properly skeptical view.

]]> By: Teju http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141193 Teju Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:34:38 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141193 I always worry about what we can say--what we permit ourselves, ethically, to say--about someone else's grief. Especially if it has been in the news, especially if it is someone whose work we did not know of until they died. And most especially if the death was spectacular. But this is such a strong poem, Dave, and if a public elegy is to be written at all, this is how to do it. I came into it against it, but emerged unexpectedly moved. Thank you. I always worry about what we can say–what we permit ourselves, ethically, to say–about someone else’s grief. Especially if it has been in the news, especially if it is someone whose work we did not know of until they died. And most especially if the death was spectacular.

But this is such a strong poem, Dave, and if a public elegy is to be written at all, this is how to do it. I came into it against it, but emerged unexpectedly moved. Thank you.

]]> By: am http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141094 am Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:13:39 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141094 Thank you for posting this. Liviu Librescu's voice comes through clear and true. Thank you for posting this. Liviu Librescu’s voice comes through clear and true.

]]> By: Joe http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141010 Joe Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:38:21 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-141010 This is beautiful, thanks for sharing it. I wonder if this came in a fit of inspiration? It feels very spontaneous to me anyway. This is beautiful, thanks for sharing it. I wonder if this came in a fit of inspiration? It feels very spontaneous to me anyway.

]]> By: robin andrea http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140983 robin andrea Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:14:25 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140983 The voice in this poem is so compelling. It pulls something from another man's life as a way of summoning our understanding of the ordinary and extraordinary. Beautifully done, Dave. BTW-- My cousin's sons played with Librescu's sons in Blacksburg years ago when the children were young. On the day of the shooting, my cousin called me to say that she'd heard from Zachary (her eldest), he told her that a friend's dad had been among the murdered. It was Librescu. The voice in this poem is so compelling. It pulls something from another man’s life as a way of summoning our understanding of the ordinary and extraordinary. Beautifully done, Dave.

BTW– My cousin’s sons played with Librescu’s sons in Blacksburg years ago when the children were young. On the day of the shooting, my cousin called me to say that she’d heard from Zachary (her eldest), he told her that a friend’s dad had been among the murdered. It was Librescu.

]]> By: Jean http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140973 Jean Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:04:47 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140973 A worthy tribute. Beautiful. A worthy tribute. Beautiful.

]]> By: dale http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140379 dale Mon, 30 Apr 2007 02:37:08 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140379 I think this is one of your best. I think this is one of your best.

]]> By: Fred Garber http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140362 Fred Garber Mon, 30 Apr 2007 02:13:52 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/04/29/into-the-garden-liviu-librescu/#comment-140362 Very strong stuff! Very strong stuff!

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