Talking - American Literature (Dalkey Archive) 1st edition

"If someone came up and started talking a poem at you how would you know it was a poem?" So begins David Antin's Talking, a collection of writings that defy classification. Combining a passion for storytelling and improvisation with a unique sensitivity to the relationship between verbal and written language, Antin creates a work that is hilarious and intelligent, making use of techniques of poetry, fiction, theater, autobiography, and cultural criticism.

Originally published in 1972, the four pieces collected here center on political, social, and artistic concerns that were both timely and ahead of their time. In them we see Antin's real poetic achievement: the creation of new artistic forms.