'CRITICISM: 5 PIECES'
by Joseph Riippi



I

(of poetry)
a structure that will not hold water
is not,
and should never be confused with,

a waterfall.


II

(of music)

when good music is playing
i can't help recalling
that the french word sang translates to "blood."

that's the only distinction i have between good and bad.


III

(of readers)

lazy lazy lazy
motherfuckers
bearing
male and female
gazes
interpretations
faces
feces and
phalluses


IV

(of subjectivity)

the coward writes—

the lion makes speeches.



V

(of criticism)

subjectivity = truth

fact + fact + fact = theory

theory + evidence = truth

subjectivity = theory + evidence


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Joseph Riippi is a recent Pacific Northwest defector. He was born and raised in Seattle but now lives at 91st and 2nd in Manhattan. He writes commercials because it pays well, and essays and fiction for magazines because someday it might pay well. A staff writer at several magazines and newspapers, he is the Arts & Opinon Editor at Beyond Race Magazine.