New Phenomenon: The Ostrich

Somewhere in between the exhilaration of flying with falcons and the ho-hum of sitting bored in a birdhouse is the Ostrich, a flightless thing but a bird nonetheless. The Ostrich is too weighty and ponderous to fly, a decent stab at soaring but aeronautically doomed by its own makeup.

Unlike the Birdhouse, the Ostrich is mobile. Unlike the Bird, the Ostrich is grounded. Alfred Corn touches on what can turn one into the other in his review of Robert Hass's Time and Materials, saying:

Although Hass briefly expands the scope of the subject by alluding to the Aeneid (the moment when Aeneas flees the burning city with his father on his back), I think the allusion is too weighty for this poem, given how unliterary and unadorned it is. A defense would no doubt argue that resolute austerity of presentation matches the dire events recounted; even mildly aesthetic touches might seem like window-dressing. As for the Trojan allusion, though grand, it conveys the notion of a son bearing the burden of his father. Fine, but then Hass is repudiating the paternal legacy here, whereas Aeneas intended the opposite. If I’d written the poem, I’d have dropped the Trojan allusion and reconceived the text as a brief prose memoir.

In a sort of anti-statistical vein, we can view the birdhouse-ostrich-bird schema as a continuum on which most poetry can be plotted. An abundance of popular references, familiar themes, traditional forms, and even jokes can relegate a poem to Birdhouse status; they entice readers with the promise of communal enjoyment and wink-wink accessibility, sheltering us from pounding hearts and discouraging the flutter of wings. Unique forms, personal allusions, bizarre analogies, and exotic topics will earn the title of Bird-of-Flight; they fly freely and of their own accord, gracefully shattering gravity and permitting us to enjoy the ride. Then there's the Ostrich, trapped dead center. It is a poem with vision and potential, with wings that flap loudly but in vain due to the gravity of their own philosophy. The Ostrich is loaded full of hefty allusions, lengthy clauses, and theoretical intent, and is easily categorized according to its respective school (i.e. Tjanting and Language Poetry).

Here are some examples of where certain works lie on the ornithological spectrum:

Birdhouse: Denise Duhamel-Two and Two /Natasha Trethewey-Native Guard / Sherman Alexie-First Indian on the Moon
Ostrich: Ron Silliman-Tjanting
Bird of Flight: Maggie Dietz-Perennial Fall / Anne Wies-Floating City / Dean Young- Embryoyo

Please feel free to edit this list as you see fit; it's certainly not exhaustive and most labels are arguable.