Page Six THE MICHIGAN DAILY Saturday, June 15, 1968 Page Six THE MICHIGAN DAILY Saturday, June 15, 1968 Pop, By ELIZABETH WISSM Mind's Country, by Ba LeBost. Villiers, $2.9. The Liverpool Scene, e Edward Lucie-Smith. D day. $, 195. Cables to the Ace, by T as Merton. New Dire $1.25. Among these three vo are to be found at least th oretic poles of much conte] ary poetry. There is, atpr no visible domination of E: verse by a single school, d the feverish imitators of I and Ginsberg. And, of c there need be no unified "front". Few universal have survived the centur aesthetic dispute since Ar createdhhis confident P About the onlY norm whic been retained so far is th cessity 'that a work o achieve its own unique o ous and objective identit etry makes various use of eric mechanisms to achiev end: imagery and rhythm rative and symbolism, rh and rhyme. Each of thes vices has been successfull fended or abandoned., The failure, then, of t the three collections here, the result of technical neci Rather, the poetry simply not have that palpable ind dence of the author whi call "beauty", or "form". Liverpool Scene makes ak attempt at novelty. But its claim to 'Pop original forced. In physical design alone Liverpool Scene reeks of tutnism. Ringo _Starr in shorts is the frontispiece, a masive hyperbole from Ginsberg adorns the back "Liverpool is at the presen ment the center of the c ousness of the human univ Judging by the contents universe is a terrifying namnbulist indeed. Eight poets are represen he anthology, but the m he work~has been done by3 0cGough , Adrian Henri an ,n Patten. The poets share lency toward adolescent r ,lthough Patten is the only ine adolescent among them 4though many of thei night be ornamented b vholesome thud of a hard ack-beat, few of them ha iecessary rhythmic assuriti 'Ian Henri's "In the Mid atour" is a squeamish ec Otis Redding's song. When we meet In the midnight hour country girl I will bring you nightflow coloured like your eyes In the moonlight in the midnight hour.....M Roger McGough is capa puick, irreverent humor a expense of "Civilization": the buildings had bie the roads ran away Buses grew hairs in the private places ... , But he is plagued, like his authors, with the need to b versational. One misses, this Pop rhetoric, the aut city derived from a more c pot pourri, [AN observation of the rhythm of the techni streets. There is none of the cra- fyingc rbara ckle of joyfully invented idiom cal if (e.g., "Sock it to me"). There is armed d. by hardly a stray cuss word. And in electri ouble- all, the fabled "Mersey Beat" Usin hom-emerges with all the sticky nos- telega ho-talgia of the Old Mill Stream. is able etions. In almost premeditated opposi- tic Und tion to this Pop Poetry stands the Eac rlues work of 'Barbara Le Bost, Mind's Eacl lumes Country. The collection is a dis- e the-creet, posthumous production e eso- from "A previously academic The c Igli sh writer." But Miss Le Bost's abun- of sub espite- dant theory is as fatal to her to cre Lwell poetry as the popular nostalgia. stuffe ourse, Her vocabulary is expansive, but music poetic hardly more precise or evocative. ness o Laws Rather, one notices the cretinous witho Ies of Power of a word which. masks which istotle and'encapsulates sense, placing the pe oetic. images in sterile isolation one lackin h has from the other. tioned e ne- The bridge through the mirror neithe f art Is hidden in gesture. logy,' ensu- Neither word nor fear idiom. Y. PO- Will find the fissure is capa gen- In the tissue of memory on th e this Torn by flesh in silence. presen , nar- Miss LeBost's volume is, ap- etoric propriately, dominated by mind. ;e de- But often, this is to the exclusion y de- of the, other poetic faculties. As with individual words, so her wo of structures tend to form a rigid is not exoskeleton through which faint essity. pulsing can be heard. does epen- no exact or nearly even precise ch we explanation neither definition The would suffice gaudy to fully entertain even the somehow maniacal ity is the somehow saintly qualities of passion , Th she states. It is an ironic self- poer- commentary. whie If you will proceed quickly past w eAllen the bristling prologue, Thomas' over: Merton's Cables to the Ace will t mo- reveal itself {as a unified and am- onsci- ply communicative poem of many erse" poems. He shares the concrete s, the repugnance of the Liverpool po- ets for civilized and sanitized _ som- beauty, opening with: ted in lament of Ortega. The crowd ass of has. revolted. Now there are Roger ..bathrooms everywhere. Life is d Bri- exempt from every restric- a ten- tion! every, gen- But Merton's irony is pointilis- . And tic, gathering itself into anomy poems and horror through the subtle y the addition of detail. rock The collection ispatterned, ve the loosely, on William Blake's "Mar- y. Ad- riage of Heaven and Hell" in its night free interplay between sections ho of of prose and lyric. But Merton is a poet of lucid rhetoric, rather than of Blake's zealousvision. The volume is no allegory, but' G almost a musical design of theme and variation. Merton begins ers with a veiled description of the past D~kb~Sbosok ol que to be employed, "Edi- cables can be made musi- played and sung by full- societies doomed to an ic war." ng the rigid economy of a -m for his pattern, Merton le to create with apocalyp- derstatement: h nominal conceit l be shot down by an Jectric eye. central irony in this "hive tleties" is Merton's attempt ate lyricism otit of the very which smothers modern . It is his delicate aware- f his medium, his intimacy the word to be employed, gives to Cables to the Ace eculiar density of expression ig in the two volumes men- * above. He is fearful of er the heights of epistemo- nor the depths of common . And, at moments, Merton able of dwelling at once up- e present and the Omni- It. A declaration(of i n terdependence By STEPHEN FIRSHEIN Toward a Democratic Left, by Michael Harrington. MacMillan, $5.951 With the prospect of a Nixonhumphrey in the White House come January, Michael Harrington's vi- sion of a new America reminds me of the Dionne War- wick tune, "Window-Wishing". Harrington's program for the rejuvenation of our terribly lopsided society- a program which would have been met with skepticism anyway-now seems totally fanciful in light of last week's assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy. For Toward a Democratic Left, inasmuch as it is not merely an indictment against many facets of con- temporary America, but an outline for action, must be judged by harsher rules than most other books on so- cial science.' The criteria are not whether the work is interesting, well-argued, or shocking, although these ingredients are requisite; they are rather whether the book will be effective in its stated purpose of inciting the public to action. 1968 is a bad year for making pre- dictions, but f would bet that Harrington's book will be cdnsigned to mothballs for a goodly number of years. And Harrington will find himself watching more gov- ernmental floundering in the fields of urban affairs, education, military commitments abroad, ad infinitum. It's really a shame, because his book provides a framework for significant, yet non-violent change within a society that definitely needs change. In con- cise, compelling prose, he first diagnose$ the ills of pre- sent-day America, often using the federal government's own statistics, next constructs a vision for the future, and then presents practical means for implementation. Always reasonable, always willing to look at a subject from both sides, always to concede weaknesses in his own position, Harrington nevertheless manages to con- vey a sense of controlled outrage and of urgency. The author, who might be termed a social demo- crat, realizes of course that his vision of a reconstructed society' requires a large investment in time, as well as human resources and cash: for example, his estimate for the elimination of poverty is something on the order of 20 years. Which should make it pretty obvious that we don't have too much time to piddle around before we start a massive campaign to insure everybody a minimum standard of living-I hesitate to use the term "war on poverty", for reasons obvious to anybody hip to the Great Society sham. Since Harrington's proposals depend on the forging of a new majority party in this country, composed of the socially deprived and the socially concerned, we must ask ourselves whether it is likely that this coali- tion can be effected before it is too late (I assume that at some future date our blessed luck will run out, and things will begin to go downhill, if they haven't al- ready). As it stands presently, not only do we have to lispense with (that's an understatement) the Vietnam War, but we also have to cope with an increasingly re- actionary mood of the country, manifested in many ugly, diverse ways. That is, we must first get rid of this impedimentia non-violently and through political chan- nels before we can even begin the great work ahead of - us. Harrington's faith in majoritarian politics differs from the strategy presented by the members of the New Left, whose call for violent revolution by the op- pressed brings shivers to many a New Dealer. But Har- rington sharply diverges from'these very same apostles 1 of FDR and LBJ, those "utilitarian pragmatists" (the phrase is his) who believe that "This country is a{ blessedly unideological land where elections are nat- urally won at the Center rather than on the Right or Left (by people who believe) in the assumption -that the world has been benevolently created, that the so- lutions 'to the problems of revolutionary technological, economic and social change are invariably to be dis- covered in the middle of the road." Come, let us reason together or, rather, come let us boggle together. To Harrington, it is necessary to tear down some of the sacrosanct economic oracles which have excluded so large a sector of our people from their benefits. The notion that economically profitable invest- ments by business somehow automatically maximize the public welfare, that a spiraling GNP means the country is healthy, must be discarded in favor of a te- definition of economics. There must be a social determ- ination of what is economic, deliberately "unprofitable" investment in human beings in order to increase the' equality of the society. Building homes for the poor is not profitable from the point of view of a corporate investor because it does not provide a high enough rate: of return on capital. But to the social investor in Har- rington's society, poverty is enormously costly in terms of risks of crime, riots, disease, and the fear instilled in the well-off who are afraid to walk the streets at night. Most importantly, poverty is costly in terms of the wasted human talent which might be able to make positive contributions if given the opportunity. In short, business must be "tamed" again, although in a different way than in the trust-busting era at the turn of the century. For the democratic left will have to contend with more entrenched networks of corporate power. We are all familiar with one of these networks, the military-industrial complex, but Harrington goes beyond and identifies another species, the social-indus- trial complex,I Whereas the former bases itself on a permanent war economy and a huge military establishment; the social-industrial complex relies on contracts stemming from the Great Society, i.e. in the business of social causes. This "sudden outburst of corporate conscience" alarms Harrington, who is rightly convinced that satis- fying social needs and making money have often prov- ed tcw be distinctly hostile activities. NEXT WEEK Because of the semester break, there will be no Book Page next week. On the following Saturday, June 28, the Book Page will_ feature Daniel Okrent on Walter Goodman's "The Committee," and Fritz Lyon on a few books of the theater. Government itself must become more responsive to the needs of the people, must undertake huge rehabili- tation projects in response to crying deficiencies in the society, must guarantee everyone a minimum standard of living. The President shall give a report on the fu- ture to- the nation, and- wide discussion shall actually be sought out in all levels of government. In short, what is /heeded is a vast expansion of democracy and a re-ordering of the nation's priorities. The nation must move away from' the New Deal federalism' which has characterized its responses to problems for some 35 years or, If you like, for'the past five years. A renascence of local government shall pro- vide for more individuated responses to more immediate problems. This calls for the consolidation into effective re- gional governing units the hodge-podge of overlapping lbcal, municipal, and county agencies--an 80 percent reduction in the number. of local governing bodies ac- cording to a\ recent report. This is clearly relevant to the central problem of how to get democratic partici- pation into najtional economic planning. Woven into this overview of the society are inter- esting specifics: a peace-time equivalent of the GI Bill, guaranteeing the means to an education for the talented yet "underprivileged;" an, ROTC for social service, taken from a Kingman Brewster speech; a conscious effort on the part of government to insure the privacy of its citizens. This domestic blueprint occupies the first two- thirds of the book, and is more impressive in scope than the succeeding discussion on America and the rest of the world. Without deprecating Harrington's arguments in favor of a new foreign policy, his ideas on extricating ourselves from Asia, and of providing fav- ored treatment to the "underdeveloped nations" in'the world market are not novel. His most valuable contri- bution in this section is the portrayal of the United States as an "almost-imperialist," that does not con- sciously and evilly exploit the peoples of the world, but a country trapped, in a sense, by its own myth as a do-gooder. Harrington contends, and gives' data to support his argument, that the United States, with $1.3 trillion in corporate assets, can afford to lose the $16 billion in capital in Asia, Africa and Latin America without facing'an internal crisis. Totally, a compelling vision for a new society- but can it be attained, and will it work? The prerequi- site, i.e. the formation of a majority party which be- lieves in this vision, will be attained, Barrington as- serts, by a fusion of the poor, the Negroes, the socially conscious middle class, the liberals, the new class of technocrats who really have no loyalty to the current setup, and the union members, especially the teachers. Whether Harrington will ever witness this unlikely combination is a moot point; I suppose it wouldn't be any more incredible than the components of the pre- sent-day Democratic) Party. What worries me is the tendency for the country to move away from the ten- dency not only to continue on the same tired tack, but actually regless 'as the complexities of the modern world. , V i ; Beig ;hip ble of t the oughs host fellow e con- in aU benti- areful / :1 Our designer came home from London with WORSHIP MISTER$ FAMILY RESTAURANT " HAMBURGERS TREASURE CHET " CONEY ISLANDS i " JUMBOYS SPEEDY SERVICE CARRY-OUT SPECIALISTS NO WAITING - PLENTY of PARKING INSIDE SEATING OR EAT IN YOUR CAR OPEN 11 AM DAILY 662-0022- 3325 WASHTENAW RD. ANN ARBOR 2 BLKS. W. of ARBORLAND ; a Beatle haircut, a cricket bat, I a case of kipper;.s, FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH On the Campus- Corner State and William Sts. Terry N. Smith, Minister Ronald C. Phillips, Assistant Summer Worship Service at 10:00 am., Sermon topic: "The Lonely Greatness of the World" Church School through Sixth Grade. HURON HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH Presently meeting at the YM-YWCA Affiliated with the Baptist General Conf. Rev. Chcyles Johnson 761-6749 9:30 am.--Coffee. 9:45 a.m.-U Fellowship Bible Discussion. 11,:00 a.m.-"The Seminarians," Bethel The- ological Seminary 7:00 p.m.-"Personality Development through Father's Loving Discipline" 8:30 pm.-College and Careers Fellowship and refreshments UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHAPEL (The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) 0fred T. Scheips, Pastor 1511 Washtenaw Sunday at 9:45 a~m.--Service, sermon by Pas- tor Scheips, "The Search for Security", Luke 12:13-21 Wednesday at 10:00 p.m.-Student led de-, votion. ST. ANDREW'S EPSICOPAL CHURCH 306 N. Division 8:00 a.m.-Holy Communion. 9:00 a.m.-Holv Communion and Sermon. 11:00 a.m.-Morning Prover and Sermon. 7:00 p.m,-Evening Prayer. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Phone 662-4466 1432 Washtenaw Ave. Ministers: Ernest T. Campbell, Malcolm G. Brown, John W. Waser, Harold S. Horan SUNDAY Worship at 9:00. 0:30 a.m., and 12:00 noon. Presbyterian Campus Center located at the Church. PACKARD ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH Southern Baptist Convention 1 131Church St., 761-0441 Rev. Tom Bloxam' 9:45 a.m.-Sunday School. 1 1 :00 a.m.-Morning Worship. 6:30 p.m.-Training Unit'n. 7:30 p.m.-Evening Worship. ST. AIDEN'S EPISCOPAL CHAPEL (North Campus) 1679 Broadway 9:00 a.m.-Morning Prayer and Holy Com- munion.-. 11:00 a.m.-Coffee in the lounge. CAMPUS CHAPEL 1236 Washtenow' DonaldWPostemo, Minister 10:00 a.m.-Morning worship service. Ser- mon: "Drugs and the Holy Spirit" 11:00 a.m.-Coffee in the lounge 5:30 p.m.-Sunday night supper 7:00 p.m.-Two plays by Charles Williams: "The House by The Stable" and "Grab and Grace." Service at Ann Arbor Chris- tian Reformed Church, 1717 Broqdway. For transportation call 662-2402. FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST 1833 Washtenow Ave. SUNDAY 10:30 a.m.-Worship Services. Sunday School UNIVERSITY REFORMED CHURCH 1001 East Huron Phone 662-3153 Ministers: Calvin S. Malefyt, Paul Swets General Synod Reformed Church in America 9:30 a.m.-Church School 10:30 a.m.-"A New Acceptance," Rev. Paul Swets 7:00 p.m.-"The Promise of the New," Rev. Paul Swnts FIRST METHODIST CHURCH AND WESLEY FOUNDATION At State and Huron Streets Phone 662-4536 Hoover Rupert, Minister Eugene Ransom, Campus Minister . Bartlett Beavin, Associate Campus Minister SUNDAY 9:00 and 11:15 a.m.-Worship Services. "Inescapable Decisions", Dr. Rupert LUTHERAN STUDENT CENTER AND CHAPEL National Lutheran Council Hill St. at S. Forest Ave. Rev. Donald Kopplin, Pastor SUNDAY 10:30: a.m.--Worship 'Service. 1, READ 'BOOKS' every Saturday 0l and an idea Because as soon as he got back-in a fever of crea- tivity, he began designing the Bounder. He made it bi-ash and dashing-like a Lon- don ankle boot. He made it rugged and supple, soft and durable-like a moccasin. And when he finally revealed the Bounder to us, it was just that-half a moccasin, half an ankle boot. With top grain leather from ankle to heel to hand-sewn toe. A buckle or twin eyelets. And BETHLEHEM UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 423 S. Fourth Ave. Telephone 665-6149 Pastors: E. R. Klaudt, Armin C. W. C. Wright BIZar, 9:30 and 10:45 a.m.-Wor'ship Services. 9:30 and 10:45 a.m.-Church School. CANTERBURY HOUSE. '330 Maynard THE CHURCH OF CHRIST W. Stadium at Edgewood I tl ,