input and output

I am really amazed by the output of Clark Coolidge. I read Own Face, Alien Tatters and I just finished The Crystal Text. I loved these books so much I want to read everything Coolidge has ever written. But that's a lot of books and my assumption (where did I get it) is that if someone publishes that much it must be uneven.

Take the case of John Ashberry. I've heard many readers complain that he publishes too much. Or they enjoy early or middle or late Ashberry. I still don't really enjoy Ashberry. I have no desire to read everything he's written.

So, what's the difference between Coolidge and Ashberry in terms of their amazing output? Well, from the three books I've read of Coolidge they seem very interconnected. There are aliens in The Crystal Text and a lot of speculation about faces etc.

In other words, it seems like a life's work. A continous transmission with lots of riffs but with underlying themes.

I have been afraid of repeating myself as I am almost complete with MS # 3 (right now called Pawn King). But I am starting to think in terms of a life work. Interconnected books.

It seems there is a big difference between Tate and Dean Young repeating their moves in book after book and the long projects of Coolidge, Silliman etc.

The integration of life and art is of course a continual project. I think Coolidge (and Silliman) are maxamalist poets par excellence in that they bridge this gap (and many others) quite well.

So:

1) To let the generative power of language happen

2) Immerse

3) Something coming from the outside (radio, google, lord brain etc.)