Chapter 723: Defend poetry?
"Hey, Minghua, why don't you speak?" Li Tuo and Fang Minghua sat together and asked in a low voice.
Fang Minghua was holding a coffee cup and had just taken a sip. When he heard Li Tuo's words, he smiled and asked, "Didn't you say nothing, too?"
"I only engage in literary criticism. There’s really not much research on poetry in terms of novels and prose,” Li Tuo replied.
Then what are you doing here?
Fang Minghua was a little confused but it was hard to ask directly.
Li Tuo seemed to have guessed what he was thinking and said with a smile: "As for me, Bingling invited me to come and join in the fun. I can be with a group of domestic literary people and listen to them speak Chinese and talk about familiar things. Literature is also a very happy thing. Of course, Boss Liu’s coffee tastes good too.”
As he spoke, he raised his coffee cup and took a sip.
Of course the coffee is good, it seems to be Blue Mountain Coffee.
Nothing but
To be so lonely?
Finally, Bei Dao also spoke, and his speech was more professional. He pointed out: The decline of poetry is reflected in the disconnection between words and objects, and the isolation between poetry and the real world, which makes poetry lose its original social significance. The function of criticism and cultural inheritance.”
Fang Minghua listened carefully and felt that what he said was very reasonable.
If a literary genre, whether it is novels, poetry, prose, etc., loses the social The two major functions of criticism or cultural inheritance have basically become dispensable.
Or they can no longer be called literature.
Some people spoke in the morning, but Bingling was still taking notes. In his words, there will be an interview summary later, whether it is published in "Today" sponsored by Beidao or in "Oriental Magazine" sponsored by Chinese.
For lunch, the owner of the villa, Liu Junjie, prepared Taiwanese specialty food - Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice.
Take half a spoonful of rice, soak it with marinade, then put a piece of braised pork into your mouth. The fresh, sweet, fragrant and glutinous taste is really good.
Everyone ate casually, each holding a bowl and finding a place to sit down. Fang Minghua was sitting alone on a chair and just finished a bowl when he saw Bingling coming over with a bowl and sitting next to him. Asked:
“Minghua, why didn’t I see you talking to me this morning?”
"As you know, I just write novels and have little research on poetry." Fang Minghua was very modest.
"Isn't it right? I remember that you were once the deputy editor-in-chief of poetry in Yanhe magazine, and you also published several theoretical articles on poetry, one of which was called "Poetic Imagery in the Post-Misty Poetry Era" , very forward-looking.”
Huh?
This guy has a very good memory.
It was still in 1984. I had just taken up the post of deputy editor in charge of the poetry section. I published a "College Poetry Issue" in the magazine "Yanhe" and rejected the spoken-word poetry that was beginning to become popular in the poetry world at that time.
As a result, Shang Zhongmin, a student at Chongqing University, was dissatisfied and skipped school to go to Xijing to argue with Fang Minghua. So the two held a public debate on poetry at Northwest University.
This is the topic Fang Minghua talks about.
Think about it, that era was really full of passion.
Now that Bing Ling suddenly brought up old memories, Fang Minghua couldn't say anything else, so he said with a smile.
“Okay, I’ll say a few words during the discussion in the afternoon.”
After dinner, everyone took a break and the salon activities continued.
"Minghua, please say a few words." Bing Ling began to directly call the names. Fang Minghua put down his coffee cup and said: "Okay, let me talk about my personal views."
"Just now I heard Duoduo mention the Canadian poet Slote at the Rotterdam International Poetry Festival. The published "Poetry in Defense" reminds me of a short poem written by the Polish poet Adam Zagajewski, which I guess everyone has heard of."
Fang Minghua started reciting:
"In defense of poetry, etc."
Yes, in defense of poetry, sublime style, etc.,
But also in defense of a summer evening in a small town,
where the garden The fragrance is flowing and the cat sits quietly on
the front steps, like Chinese philosophers.
The living room was quiet, listening to Fang Minghua reciting this poem.
“What I want to say is: when poetry has been called upon to become an object to be defended, it means that some people still regard it as a precious cultural style, but it also illustrates a mentality of praying for mercy from society. " Fang Minghua first analyzed it, and then changed the topic:
"But I don't think it is necessary. As a form of human spiritual activity, I believe that poetry in any era will be a need for some people's spiritual life. . Because only she can convey the inner activities of human beings when facing some specific events in her own unique form. It is because of this that poets should be arrogant."
Fang Minghua's words immediately caused everyone in the living room to whisper.
"Minghua, let me interrupt." The speaker was the woman sitting by the fireplace, Zhai Yongming.
Fang Minghua once met her once. It was in 1990. Fang Minghua went to Sichuan Province to attend the funeral of Zhou Keqin on behalf of the Qin Provincial Writers Association. Later, he found Shang Zhongmin. He invited a former poet to accompany him for hot pot, one of whom had just returned from the United States. Zhai Yongming.
But at that party, no one talked about poetry.
Now that Zhai Yongming interrupted, Fang Minghua stopped and smiled.
Zhai Yongming said: "According to your point of view, since you think poetry does not need to be protected, then we should just stand by and let it decline naturally?"
This is a bit sharp.
Everyone looked at Fang Minghua.
Fang Minghua smiled, drank coffee, and suddenly said to Bei Dao, who was sitting in the corner: "Teacher Bei Dao, do you still remember that in 1980, "Contemporary" magazine held a poetry contest? "
"Remember." Bei Dao showed a smile on his serious face and continued:
"That time, your poems, Shu Ting's, Gu Cheng's, and mine all won awards. But I can’t remember the specific poem.”
“Well, I remember that you wrote “Rainy Night”, Shu Ting wrote “Hui’an Woman”, and Gu Cheng’s was “I am a Willful One.” "Child", I wrote a short poem called "Premonition""
"Yes, it seems so." Bei Dao agreed.
Fang Minghua did not answer Zhai Yongming's question, and suddenly chatted with Bei Dao about the past. Everyone was a little surprised, but they did not interrupt and listened to the two of them chatting about the past.
“At the awards ceremony, the host, Zhang Zhong’e, deputy editor of Contemporary magazine, asked the award-winning contestants to speak about their views on poetry. I declined.”
"That's right, Editor Zhang was a little disappointed. You were the youngest among the winning contestants at that time." Bei Dao said with a smile.
“Actually, I prepared a speech at that time, but I felt it was a bit inappropriate at the time, because the content of my speech was very pessimistic. Seeing everyone discussing the bright future of poetry in full swing, I didn’t want to pour cold water on everyone. But today I want to tell you the main content of my speech at that time!”
(End of this chapter)