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A review by bloodravenlib
Antipoems: How to Look Better & Feel Great by Nicanor Parra
5.0
This is the short note I made about this book back in 2005 when I read it:
>>This poet is both subversive and fun. It's guys like this that basically piss off right wing conservatives, to put it mildly (haha!). Seriously though, Nicanor Parra is a well known Chilean poet known for his humor and unconventional verse. So, what is antipoetry? Well, simply put it is the opposite of poetry, and yet it is not quite as easy as that. Antipoetry can be understood from the concept of antimatter. In her introduction to the book, Werner writes that "viewed through the lens of antimatter, antipoetry mirrors poetry, not as its adversary but as its complement; it is not by nature negative, but negative where poetry is positive, and vice versa; it is as opposite, complete, and interdependent as the shape left behind in the fabric where the garment has been cut out" (x).
I think that is a great way to look at it, as a complement, and in the case of Parra's work, as a playful poetry. Read why the poet thinks he should be awarded the Nobel Prize for Reading, what's the problem with philosophy (who does the dishes), and admire some visual artefactos (yes, he draws as well). The book is fun to read and reread. For the squeamish, there are some words (yes, he says "shit" and other chosen words of "color"), but nothing a reader can't handle. He addresses life, politics, math, philosophy, women, humor, etc. As an interesting touch, for bilingual readers, do look at the translation, or rather antitranslation. She was encouraged by Parra to use more cultural equivalents rather than literal translations. The results are some interesting and subtle differences between the poems and the translations, creating something new, maybe subversive, well worth it if you pay attention. Overall, this book is very highly recommended.<<
>>This poet is both subversive and fun. It's guys like this that basically piss off right wing conservatives, to put it mildly (haha!). Seriously though, Nicanor Parra is a well known Chilean poet known for his humor and unconventional verse. So, what is antipoetry? Well, simply put it is the opposite of poetry, and yet it is not quite as easy as that. Antipoetry can be understood from the concept of antimatter. In her introduction to the book, Werner writes that "viewed through the lens of antimatter, antipoetry mirrors poetry, not as its adversary but as its complement; it is not by nature negative, but negative where poetry is positive, and vice versa; it is as opposite, complete, and interdependent as the shape left behind in the fabric where the garment has been cut out" (x).
I think that is a great way to look at it, as a complement, and in the case of Parra's work, as a playful poetry. Read why the poet thinks he should be awarded the Nobel Prize for Reading, what's the problem with philosophy (who does the dishes), and admire some visual artefactos (yes, he draws as well). The book is fun to read and reread. For the squeamish, there are some words (yes, he says "shit" and other chosen words of "color"), but nothing a reader can't handle. He addresses life, politics, math, philosophy, women, humor, etc. As an interesting touch, for bilingual readers, do look at the translation, or rather antitranslation. She was encouraged by Parra to use more cultural equivalents rather than literal translations. The results are some interesting and subtle differences between the poems and the translations, creating something new, maybe subversive, well worth it if you pay attention. Overall, this book is very highly recommended.<<