Transtromer (doo doo doo doo): More Than Meets The Eye

on Friday, October 7, 2011
As I'm sure you already know, Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer was named the winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Literature with the Academy citing his "condensed, translucent images... [that give]... us fresh access to reality". Um... okay. Great. Way to go, me. Of all the unfamiliar names I could have plucked out of the Ladbrokes Nobel formguide I had to go and mock the one who eventually wins the bloody thing. Yep, contrary to my post of several hours ago, I didn't suspect he'd win, haven't read any of his stuff and most certainly won't be thanking him for my tropical island. Triple whammy!

Obviously I know nothing about the guy. Heck, I know nothing about poetry full stop so why would I? But it's nice to see a poet win given that nobody really reads the stuff and, but for the odd big prize, it's a bloody thankless pursuit. So yipee for a belated return to poetry's brief mid-90's hegemory over the Nobel. I can't wait to ignore Transtromer in the same way I conveniently forgot to brush up on Derek Walcott, Seamus Heaney or Wislawa Szymborska. And as for Bob Dylan... well... I'm sure he's mumbling incoherently in the opposite direction of anyone willing to still listen to him.

PS Thanks to Adam for the awful Transformers pun...

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