Dime-Store Alchemy: The Art of Joseph Cornell

Charles Simic. The Echo Press, New Jersey. 1993.


I have long been under the impression that a poet's best writing is always their PROSE writing. Poets should be forced to write prose and nothing else, simply because it's always uniquely brilliant, with such relaxed understatement, and some fragile wisp of a meaning lurking playfully behind every turn of phrase.

In this instance, the poet is writing half-page prose-poems in honour or Joseph Cornell, and in that context, this is probably the most entertaining biography I've read - and I think more biographies should be done in this context. I think perhaps that Simic was actually using Cornell more of a literary inspiration for the text rather than simply writing a report of his life.

But the style employed also serves to augment the subject, not just entertain the reader. This little book can also serve as an homage to the city in which Cornell lived (New York) and it's most effective in illustrating how Cornell was inspired by the city and everything in it. It also shows how he created his art, and his unique interpretation of life.

This is a book made of mostly of scattered images, odd reflections, a few snippits of biographical detail. Somewhat like Cornell's boxes.

Definitely one for the collection.

I shall now slide this tome back onto my shelf and return to my scribbled rantings . . . or would that be "rantling scribbles" ?



VG