Paradox, Politics and Place

"Language is not a pure instrument. It is used by many forces before a poet picks up a pen. It is used to sell programs, objects, ideas — to propagandize, to create artificial desire ..."

This is American poet Jorie Graham, from a thoughtful interview in The Spectator on the occasion of the publication of her new collection, Place. She talks about paradoxes and contradictions in her poems and the ways to be 'political' in culture. It's worth reading the whole piece.

Place, is to be the PBS Choice for autumn, guaranteeing Graham a place on the 2012 T S Eliot Prize shortlist.