Word of Mouth
Amy Gerstler
"Modern Madonnas"
This was perhaps the flattest reaction I've had to any of the poems read for class thus far. I believe I understand what her general theme was and where she was coming from, but I'm not sure if it's the delivery or the interlocking of tragedy + crime + pop culture + kitchen sink, but it was a chore to read through it. Somewhat like Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" without the peppy music to keep the redundant and straightforward nature of the piece from becoming redundant. I felt detached enough just reading the poem itself, but then I read the brief bio, which states: "Gerstler's postmodern prayer "Modern Madonnas" is a haunting litany of contemporary suffering." Maybe I am completely disconnected from the suffering of someone somewhere in the world, but I really don't see the "contemporary suffering" in computer-engineered tax evasion, or how it complements or enhances the "haunting" litany of said suffering to list the Gallup Poll, talk radio and glib interviewers alongside diabetic blindness, drive-by shootings, radiation sickness and chemically induced birth defects. If she's being sarcastic or ranting about how the world in general has gone to pot, okay, I was willing to take it that way, like a play on Billy Joel's anthem. But the bio turned that on its head, and some of the things she listed aren't inherently wrong to begin with, like genetic mutation, which has been a constant force in evolution since the dawn of time. (Maybe she chose her word poorly and meant genetic engineering?) I'm not sure how power lunches and after-hours clubs are something to be sad about, either. Likewise soundtracks.
Anyway, I just feel unimpressed and at a loss. I hope someone can give me a fresh perspective on it. :/
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