Reading this post I was struck light-blind by the realization that anyone who uses the word “problematize” and its variants is inevitably using it to gild some decayed lily.
The post includes this bonus example of faux profundity: “A text should be written, as Craig Dworkin postulates, not in terms of ‘whether it could have been done better (the question of the workshop), but whether it could conceivably have been done otherwise.'” (Any piece of writing, of course, can be done otherwise; the challenge for the writer, unless I’m mistaken, is to do it better—in or out of the workshop.) This kind of fatuity is what passes for Deep Thought in the world of conceptual writing.
Thanks as ever to folks at Harriet for keeping me up on these groundbreaking literary developments.
Joseph Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate 2014-2019, has published 20 collections of poems and edited or co-edited three poetry anthologies. He currently directs two master’s-level programs for University College at the University of Denver: Professional Creative Writing and Arts & Culture Management. Joe lives with his wife, Melody Madonna, in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado, the city where he was born. 
Noh-boddhi would ever accuse you of <i>not</i> playing with your own mind, Ed! By the way, you <a href="http://edbaker.maikosoft.com/" rel="nofollow">read to me</a> awhile back, at bed time (as it happens), and I couldn't sleep most of the night for turning it all over in my head. Thanks a lot!
say hey Joe!<br /><br />I saw the movie DEEP THOUGHT…<br />the plot s.u.c.k.-ed <br />&<br />the visuals were … well<br />a bore…<br /><br />noh-boddhi seems-to-BE<br />anymore<br />playing in/with their OWN mind!<br /><br />am recently googling around-and-about this stuff called Vispo… mostly computer-generated "stuff" all seems like it was/is being done by the same
I love "peeps," Sandy! You're a cool chick.<br /><br />And Vassilis, your point is well taken: one's own poems are always trying. And thanks for the heads up about the problematized Harriet link, which I trust works correctly now!
Over at <a href="http://didiodatoc.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Word-Dreamer:poetics</a>,Conrad DiDiodato quotes something from Beckett as best advice yet to poets: "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." My comment recommended tagging on another "Try again" at the end.
Seriously? Do it better or do it otherwise? Listen, bad comes in hundreds of flavors. But everyone likes Better best. Avoid workshops that don't beat the hell out of your weaknesses, peeps.