Literary humor from the editors of 'Jacket'

What is a “Linopentametron”? Is it truly possible to scientifically render a poem “impervious to attack by even the most powerful critical tools”? What, exactly, happened between Sappho of Lesbos and Tod? Founding editor John Tranter is likely the mind responsible for the comedic snapshots of literary “history” in several of Jacket’s earlier issues. Starting in issue 3 of the online magazine, published April of 1998, a couple gems lay hidden among the poetry and reviews, which detail the very real (really, I promise) Great Moments in Literature. While only six appear on the original Jacket site, none of which credit their mysterious creator, each one of these miniature articles is guaranteed to pull a chuckle as they question the possible crossovers between science and poetics.

 

Read them here:

“Metamorphic diathermal annealing”
“Engineer Poet”
“Sappho Sees the Light”
“The ‘Linopentametron’”
“Poetry Gland”
“Hilbert Trogue’s ‘Pants Poem’ a knockout!”