Wednesday, December 11, 2002
Let him speak: Knew very little about Tom Paulin, the poet, before the Harvard invite/disinvite/reinvite controversy. This article, in this past Sunday’s “Ideas” section, shows Paulin is not just another political hack artist, but rather a very accomplished, albeit controversial, poet and scholar of contemporary importance. He was probably invited to appear at Harvard for all the wrong reasons (politics) and definitely disinvited for all the wrong reasons (politics). He should be allowed to speak when he finally arrives (next spring?), without interference from shouting goon squads. Let people make up their own minds, after listening to him, whether or not he’s a brilliant poet slowly morphing into another Ezra Pound.
