Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol 35 no. 14. 28 June 1972

[Letter from Don Long]

Sir,

The well of silence is broken. Salient: stands out among other student newspapers for actually caring about little mags. Keep it up for god's sake. Apathy can kill.

My essay on found poetry: I admit the advertising — do think found poetry is more than gimickry — do we always have to take poetry completely seriously — I would feel sad for anyone who only wrote found poetry — I feel sad for those who never do. I agree that forms in themselves are of no importance — vision is always more important — but too often we forget craft — and when we don't we get uptight about it. 'New' forms in poetry is hanging loose — no more, no less.

EDGE reprints: we've only reprinted two people — Jorge Luis Borges and Antonio Cisneros - everyone else is new, fresh, for real, not shop-soiled — those two were to turn everyone on to South Am. — we don't intend to reprint in the future.

By the way, have you read The Elaboration by Bill Manhire. He manages to combine image, mood, and situation in a way which proves John Summers point that we need all three.

Peace and good living,

Don Long (ed. EDGE)