american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang

MIGRATORY AGENCY 119
with his claim, it is easily pointed out that middle- to upper-class white
males are much more likely to look at the dominant culture more
fairly than women, the poor, and minorities; they are, in fact, part of
the dominant culture rather than apart from it. Though von Hallberg
would argue that some white poets—Levertov and Bly, for instance—
have not looked fairly at the dominant culture, he does not consider
that what might be “fair” for African Americans or Latinas/os may be
different than what is fair for whites.
The major problem, then, with even a smart book such as von
Hallberg’s is the title. For him, as for many others, “American poetry
and culture” represents an extremely narrow range of poets. Although
his book was published in 1985, before hip-hop gained a measure of
respect with academics, before spoken-word poetry became popular,
and before much of the emphasis on multiculturalism in the academy,
the same fundamental dynamics of his study persist today. Any relatively
comprehensive study of contemporary American poetry and
culture that does not take African American and Latina/o poets into
account is very limited, just as any contemporary study that does not
take on hip-hop omits the most vibrant poetry scene in the United
States. Writing about American poetry with limited breadth is important
for understanding specific poets, but a readjustment of scope is
necessary if a critic chooses not to write about poets concerned with
race, ethnicity, and civil rights.
In many cases, however, critics include one or two poets other than
canonical white ones in their books. Kevin Stein’s Private Poets,
Worldly Acts: Public and Private History in Contemporary American
Poetry (1996) is a typical example. Stein features chapters on Lowell,
Rich, Frank O’Hara, James Wright, Levine, Komunyakaa, Dove,
David Wojahn, and Forché. As has become relatively standard of
books on American poetry, Stein includes a selection of the frequently
discussed (Lowell, Rich, O’Hara, and Wright) alongside several
African Americans, here choosing the canonical Dove, and one that
fits into his specific framework (Komunyakaa). Stein’s book, more
impressive in breadth than many, is emblematic of the white–black
dichotomy inherent in studies of American poetry. To an extent,
African Americans have gained entry into the canon whereas other
groups remain outside, even though Joy Harjo is sometimes included
in monographs. But rarely is a Latina/o poet, especially one who
writes in Spanish and English, included as one of these additions,
despite the potential benefits of the juxtaposition.
The inverse of these dynamics is apparent in the weight borne by
scholars of Latina/o and Chicana/o poetry. 2 In their authors’ efforts