Poetry Thursday: Is this a survey I see before me?
Yummy delicious Joel McHale1) The first poem I remember reading/hearing/reacting to was...
Casey at the Bat. As a child, I heard this one many times, and always wanted to feel sorry for Casey, but found it hard. He was so arrogant. So sure he would succeed. I learned to keep my head down, my hopes hidden. Never expect anything.
2) I was forced to memorize (name of poem) in school and...
I was never forced to memorize a poem in school. I did have to recite from memory the dagger soliloquy from Macbeth.
3) I read/don’t read poetry because...
I don't read poetry because I prefer novels. Though I do occasionally check out a poetry book from the library. I stick to the classics. I don't read much poetry on blogs, because lots of 'em are pretentious, and Look at me! I'm rhyming. I'm sad. It's embarrassing. But there are some damn fine poets. Writing eloquent poetry. I'm not one of them, so yes. Novels.
4) A poem I’m likely to think about when asked about a favorite poem is...
The Raven
5) I write/don’t write poetry, but...
I do write it, but not as well as I used to.
6) My experience with reading poetry differs from my experience with reading other types of literature...
In the sense that I rarely do either.
7) I find poetry...
Easy to imitate.
8) The last time I heard poetry...
Was probably in a film.
9) I think poetry is like...
Dance. The written equivalent. It's an expressive art form that can be beautiful when every thoughtful movement is well placed. Every muscle, well-trained. Though it is often cheapened by dancers who don't know how to dance, because they don't understand it. They put no thought into it. It’s just physical. Going through the motions. Attempted by clumsy wannabes, trashy girls in halter tops, those desperate for attention.
If writing a novel is more than just typing; if it is painting a picture for others to see if their heads. Then poetry is dance.
(Cough, cough) How pretentious.
10 comments:
Though it is often cheapened by dancers who don't know how to dance, because they don't understand it. They put no thought into it. It’s just physical. Going through the motions. Attempted by clumsy wannabes, trashy girls in halter tops, those desperate for attention.
Hahah! That made me laugh. Then again, there are successful writers who don't know how to write, and the world is packed with unpoetic poets, too. They're good motivators, they are! A bad performance is good if it motivates you to (try to) do better!
I remember all the dancers smoking at my school, and thinking *Wait, if your body's your instrument, you're damaging it!* But I guess they were all trying to stay skinny. Even the profs smoked.
Anyway, I liked your reflective post. I might have to borrow the questions for my own blog. :)
I wasn't going to indulge in the poetmeme, but now I might.
And you're never pretentious!
There's so much E.A. Poe around here - I love it! And hey, congrats on your nanowrimo winner tag!
Interesting answers, all of them.
And The Raven is awesome!
Hey Ash,
I'm glad you took a little time off for yourself, I'm sure you needed a little R&R after your marathon.
Poetry is one of those things most of laymen (myself included) don't know how to judge, because you can feel that someone more knowledgeable will judge how good it is. I just go by how I feel reading the poem. It's good to me if I feel. And yours is always moves me.
And, I like the Steven's lyrics over there, too. That's what I mean. They make me feel.
Brian
interesting -- poetry via survey --what will those wacky poets come up with next? ;)
happy almost Friday. On days like this, I say we just call it a day and skip right over to Friday :)
and you know I've been looking for your photo site link for a whole 10 seconds and don't see it. hmmmphhh. ;) are you hiding it?
Loved answer #9 and the rest of the post. Great to see you back and well rested (?)
Heidi
The first poem I remember was one I had to memorize in elementary school. It is called Columbus and was written by Joaquim Miller.
Thanks for reminding me of it. I haven't thought of that poem in several decades.
I hope things are going well for you.
But I love a good night out dancing in my trashiest halter neck!
(Great answers...)
x x x x x
Interesting that amid all of the gushing love for poetry, we've found a bit of a skeptic. I like your angle, though I'm not sure I really believe that you need to be trained to write "good" poetry. And "good" poetry is different to different people. Part of the wonder of it all is the subjectivity.
That didn't sound pretentious at all...
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