Antagonistic artists essential
in today's society, poet says
By Stan Nelson
Of tfc* Km*r*ld
The poet as an antagonistic force in socie
ty is needed more keenly today than ever
before, said John Witte, a University English
instructor who will give a poetry reading
tonight.
"The poet and artist and musician, dancer
and playright is the guardian of the spirit and
provides a vital and viable outlet for expres
sion of the spirit.” he said. Witte currently is
editor of the Northwest Review, an English
department tri-annual literary publication.
"Our society is engaged in a virtual orgy
of materialism, it shouldn’t be surprising that
society at large regards poets as peculiar and
outlandish and bizarre." he said.
By us"tng intuition. Witte said he is better
able to recognize poem ideas than by using the
more traditional sense of inspiration.
And like other literary forms, poetry is 5
percent inspiration and *»5 percent editing and
continued learning. Witte said.
"When an idea for a poem occurs to me.
elements of all of my experience and all of my
understanding are drawn into that thought
almost as if the particular word or event or im
age creates a magnetic field, he said.
Witte expressed his dislike of the current
developments in contemporary poetry, which
is deviating from its traditional characteristics.
“More and more, artists are engaged with
a passive attitude toward society. In the last
few years, we are seeing a proliferation of very
elegant and handified poetry, which is
disasterous and a betrayal of the essential
obligation of a poet to l>e an antagonist and
critical of society and her achievements.”
Witte, who was bom and raised in the
Northeast, said Eugene is a relief from New
York and the inevitable sense of competition
and the unhealthy pressure to write in the ac
cepted style of writing.
Eugene's setback for writing is the
absence of literary excitement generated by
major writers. Witte said.
Hut Witte added that local writers such as
author Ken kesev. science fiction writers Kate
Wilhelm and Damon Knight and non-fiction
writer Barry Lopez all are well-known in their
fields. Internationally renowned South
|ohn Witte
American poet |uan Eplev is a member of the
l Iniversity faculty.
The l,ane Literary (luild has provided
readings and workshops for writers. Witte
said. Likewise, the group Poetic Space lias
contributed to literary advancement in lane
County.
The Lane Regional Arts Council has begun
to interact w ith University programs and break
down the ‘'town gown” division between
writers and artists in the community, he said.
"What results from that is a vory vjtal ex
change of viewpoints and attitudes about
writing, which benefits everyone." Witte said
In addition. Eugene attracts some writers
who just want to be left alone with their work.
"Writing is a solitary occupation, and writers
tend to be solitary by nature,” Witte said.
Witte will give a free poetry reading
tonight at 7 in Room T1H (.ilbert Hall. He will
read from works in progress and poetry recent
ly or soon to be published in the New Yorker
and Ploughshare magazines, and "The Norton
Introduction to Literature" journal.
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