Skip to main content

Poetry

There are very few poems I like. The fault in many cases is not the author's but mine as a reader. How does one learn to read poetry? How to analyze it? Critique it? Appreciate it? Is it a developed skill or an instinctual one?

The art of conveying so much with so few words is awe-insipiring. Of course, that feeling only occurs on those rare instances where a poem resonates deep within me. Most of the time I'm simply baffled by the meaning, the hidden agenda buried deep beneath the surface. Am I trying to search out what's not there? Or am I blind to references others would find obvious?

I know very few poets. I tend to migrate toward other novel or short-story writers. These people speak to me on a level I can not only admire, but one I understand. While we may see things differently, I'm confident in my instincts. I know what good prose sounds and feels like, how it flows and ebbs. I can discuss point-of-view, themes, dialogue, monologues, plotlines, motivation, and a number of other writerly topics with some level of confidence.

Change the subject to poetry and I'm done talking. I'll listen but rarely do I comprehend. I have no insights to offer. My incompetence is vast and glaring when poetry is introduced.

Even when I recognize something compelling in a poem, I couldn't begin to tell you why it works. I don't understand the rules, of which there seems to be many. I've heard of them, been forced to study them, but I don't instinctively recognize errors more proficent readers would identify.

Now, this being said, I do read poetry on rare occassions. For my Latina writers class I have read several poems already. I also try to read my friend's poetry; I don't always have a comment but occassionally one will strike me as outstanding and I'll let them know. Today was such a day. I think this is one of the best poems I've seen Crystal write and I hope she's not offended if I point you in her direction.

Lily by Crystal (she's my babysitter! And already has a poem published in an anthology(?) I believe.)

Once again, well done, Crystal! I don't know why it works but it does.

Comments

  1. You're not the only one who doesn't get poetry. I so royally don't that I no longer pretend to read or enjoy them. It's like poetry starts and I get white noise in my mental ears--I literally can't hear it.

    Yeah, changing the subject to poetry is one of the quickest ways to get me to either shut up or leave. Or change the subject. I've become good at changing the subject. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:13 PM

    I'm not offended at all... actually, I'm flattered Krista! I never thought you'd try to point others in my direction!

    And yes, my poem 'As You Bleed' is published an Anthology. I should bring it Saturday so you can read it (it's one of my darker pieces... I don't even know how it made it into the anthology, I hate it, lol!).

    Thanks Krista!! I'm glad you liked Lily so much!!

    And trust me... I don't even know the first thing about poetry... I write free verse with a slight rhyme scheme. That way I don't have to follow so many rules. *laughs*

    -Crystal

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Krista, you are so right! Poetry is so subjective I often feel it is another language and that you have to understand the individual concepts before you understand anything.

    But I'm not for comforming and I tend to lean towards poets who break the rules.

    I talked about this in my own blog at http://tinyurl.com/99rvq because I've been getting confused with poetry a lot lately.

    But - I'm breaking out the mould and I have a chapbook of poetry which is coming out in a couple of months - and in its writing, I've broken every poetic rule I know! :-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

They saved the finger..

This was supposed to be an easy, carefree weekend.  One of those rare weekends where spontaneity is possible because plans were not made ahead of time.  We could lounge on the couch, work on our hobbies, or even do a little shopping.  And, no, I'm not referring to the necessary evil of grocery shopping, but the much more enjoyable version where you get to buy things that actually make you happy. Because the oldest boy needed some pants and the youngest could use a new pair of shoes, I decided to head into the city to do some shopping at Kohl's.  Of course, my decision to shop there was not quite so altruistic.  Mama needed a new bathing suit! So, I pack the kids up and head into the city.  The youngest picks out his shoes . The oldest tries on a few pairs of jeans and ends up with two in the basket.  Did I mention we have to shop in the men's department now?  That he's wearing size 29?  My baby is growing up! Then it was Mom's turn.  I was looking ove

Camping with Little Boys

  Our first travel trailer. I don't remember camping much with my family as a kid. This is likely because we always had the same vacation destination: a family plot in Baldwin, MI. There was no cabin there. Instead, there were two structures: a small, silver camper and an old single-wide trailer. The silver camper is gone but the single-wide still sits there and is used by extended family members to this day.  It wasn't until I was a teenager that my step-mom and dad bought a pop-up trailer and we started camping elsewhere in the state. My memory isn't the greatest, but I'm almost certain they got the pop-up after I started dating Ken. Eventually, my parents upgraded to a fifth wheel that my dad still pulls around to various nearby camping spots. Ken, by contrast, didn't have a set vacation destination growing up. His family camped. They started out with a truck-bed camper, I believe, and eventually upgraded to a fifth wheel.  Ken and I vacationed both in Baldwin an

Shopping & Packing

This may come as a surprise, but I don't consider myself much of a shopper. Don't get me wrong, I could be! I could easily spend my weekends hopping from store to store, searching for that perfect pair of jeans or a cute little shirt to go with those shorts I have at home. I could also spend hours browsing the local B&N in search of the next best read. Oh, yes, I could easily become a hardcore shopper if the funds were available. But I don't frequent the mall because there's always something more pressing to spend my paychecks on and I'm not very good at window shopping. If I'm browsing, I'm buying. So I don't go. At least, not often. However, as we all know, there are times when shopping is necessary. Family vacations happen to be one of them. My feeling on the matter is that everyone needs to look good in the hundreds of photos I will undoubtedly take. Last year's wardrobe just won't do, not even if it still fits! Besides, I doubt