So you thought you knew all about what light verse is, eh? Well think again. Move over and make room for Richard Moore's delightfully disturbing essay "How Heavy is Light?" He takes the idea that we can have a simple, fixed and agreed-upon definition of light verse and rips it to shreds. Is it the opposite of serious, as some would suggest? Or is it deeply serious? Is it high, low, funny, heavy, dark, sad? Moore insightfully identifies a "spirit of lightness" that is necessary to keep us from getting too comfortable and bogged down in reified, deadening distinctions. The examples he uses are wonderful and richly compelling. Reading this thoughtful and well-written essay can lead us back to "light verse" with refreshed eyes.
Click here for Richard Moore's entire essay (9 pages when we printed it here) that will pop up in a new window.
Lisa Markwart
Managing Editor
Light Quarterly
Author
