Commentaries on Bob Cobbing - The Argotist Online

The supposed improvement in production this century which Duncan noted—or perhaps just
repeated from hearsay—but did not examine, results from a number of factors, including the
relative drop in printing costs. Cobbing was not against books being commercially printed; Writers
Forum just didn’t have the finance to do it all the time or even very often.
Commercial printing also homogenises the product. To some that will be a bonus. Homogeneity is
somewhat necessary in a world where poetry writing, poetry reading and poetry criticism are all
part of one consumptive process. Variation is allowed within standardised limits.
Occasionally, until 1984, a very dark ink-duplicated graphic on a book rushed out might be wet
still at distribution; but the idea is sometimes still heard that Writers Forum books are “inky”; and
it’s untrue. More waffle.
I commented on the one example that I know of persistent inkiness, Lightsong 2, when we
relaunched it in 2007. I commented on it because it is so unusual; and it was an example of
Cobbing pushing his chosen medium way beyond its limits; and, though he achieved his aim in
making a fairly consistent set of images, there was the payoff.
Some days, when there was urgency, a few copies of the product might be washed out because ink,
or later toner, was low; or otherwise unsatisfactory because the wrong paper was delivered; and I
am sure that Bob would have wanted to avoid that. He wanted to publish in a timely fashion even
more than he wanted to avoid substandard printing.
However, such problems introduced a form of seasonality into the enterprise.
Every year brings benefits and demerits to food produce, for instance; and the drive towards
standard quality products has led to tastelessness and to lack of variety, and not to quality across
the board.
It seems to me sometimes that in some poetry publishing we are not far from a “guaranteed
innovative” mark.
How will our students know what is good without such a guarantee?
The answer might be: it sounds as if they are not up to the study; or else it is their tutors who need
to learn more and to think more critically.
When Bob and I performed at 291 Gallery in 2001, an undergrad wanted to interview us and I was
the only one willing to oblige. She asked me a question and interrupted my answer with: Can’t you
say it any simpler?
I said I could not.
She had asked me how one goes from looking at a visual image to making an utterance. I am not
sure that can be fully answered. I am certain it cannot be answered in about 100 words; which is
what she asked.