The new DIAGRAM is up. I am going to take a stand right now, and I hope to successfully communicate that I love this journal, that they published an early poem of mine, as well as another, more recent one. I love DIAGRAM. However, the James Franco piece does not meet the standard of work Ive come to expect and appreciate from them. Its self-involved, lacks creativity, and lacks experimentation (which is what DIAGRAM has boldly put forth over the years). Its boring. It relies upon the reader knowing and caring who Franco is. As a tribute poem, it sheds very little light on Frank Bidart. Instead, it is a cut-up reflection with careless divisions and transitions. As poetry, it delivers nothing. As prose, its interesting, perhaps, to people who love Bidart AND Franco. It belongs, reassembled, in an autobiography of James Franco. It leaves the reader asking, over and over again, WHO CARES.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 03:18:48 +0000