John Latta refers to the 'Kent Johnson effect'. KJ leaves you questioning. OR you skip the questions. either way, it's a freeing thing. heck, it's merry making, what Kent is AT. I have a fondness for subversion of a certain sort, not being especially direct myself, and also finding polemics and action too often incompatible. I sure don't care much what's authentic. I'm probably more gullible than most, have fallen for a few of Kent's jokes. anyway, some of Whitman's really horse's ass stuff is pretty good. at least if you say okay, accept that he's taking that trip. I read the 1st Carlos Castenada book well before I'd heard any questions of his authenticity, and pretty well bought that farm. there's a lot of, you know, authentic crap out there that no one really needs to read. bad enough to be published in Poetry or APR. I mean sincerity out the wazoo and the like. Robert Lowell is all authentic, yet his poetry just seems so made up and canny. in The Dolphin and I forget the other book at the time, he quotes his ex-wife's letters. his writing looks perfectly crumbly, whereas Elizabeth Hardwick's letters are pungent and exalting in, dare I say, honesty. so I'm on Kent's team, if he'll have me. Latta references the New Poetry list, where some anti-Johnsonization has occurred. those college profs are a lot too lame. calling Forrest Gander Goosey one time, whee hah! sorry, but it's Leon 'Goose' Goslin, Washington Senators (etc) (you could look it up). I saw Forrest read once, and he was pretty good. rapped the lectern dramatically, which, surprisingly, worked.