I am not a poet. I love poetry. Am I wrong in wanting to tell contributors that their efforts are not poetry?

Question

I keep seeing folk submitting verse here and asking for opinions. I am loathe to rain on anyone's parade but poetry is an art form and by definition ,this means that good poetry will be rare. Yet on here we continually see the most appalling doggerel being praised. If anyone daubs a canvas with paint, is it Art?
Also, please realise that poetry is ,for the most part, subject to the same rules and conventions as any other form of written English

Wow! I did not anticipate such passionate responses. However I do not consider myself an arbiter of what is good and what is not in poetry. I am well aware of Cummings work and that is my point ! He had a command of the language and so could manipulate it to his poetic end. I simply make the point that someone who cannot spell,punctuate ,construct a sentence, or have any idea of form cannot claim to be writing poetry.
By all means express yourself in writing,by all means keep trying but do not delude yourself . The measure of any work is in what others think of it . Anything else is, to borrow from Jill Tweedie, navel gazing.Tweedie

Well said Surfer Soul !

" Pompous" Moi?

Answer 1

You commented on some verse's that I called poetry and your right, I don't know how to write properly, I can hardly spell.
But the replys to your own question have encourged me further, because at the end of the day, its how your words effect people that counts.
I will try to improve my poetry/writing skills, but won't go so far as to get cajoled into a critics sydrome by writing purely for them.

Answer 2

I'm with Dancing Bee on this one. I don't have a problem telling someone I don't like something in their work, but people all have to start somewhere--if you can at least tell them why it isn't good I think it's more helpful. I've been on insanely tough workshop sites that almost crush your life, and make you never want to write again. So, I prefer not to use that method. Everyone who writes will occasionally write garbage--we call them first drafts. Often getting good critique allows you to focus in on what isn't working, and not waste precious time by focusing on the wrong things.

Feel free to give your honest opinion. If the writer responds well, and can look at their work objectively you might play a part in developing someone who one day might write good poetry (not that rare--great poetry I'll grant you that, but it is a matter of taste). If you feel it's purely a vanity post--pass it by.

Just my opinion.

Answer 3

Everything is subjective. In art, the most popular artist of our time is Thomas Kinkade. Does that make it great art? No. I see it sort like the doggerel of art, but who am I to call up Kinkade and tell him he's not making art?

Ditto here. You can tell people they are not writing poetry and that's fine. You do know the definition of insanity, right?

But the bigger problem is that you are NOT giving advice or telling people how to do better by telling them that they are not writing poetry or are writing doggerel. Are you showing anyone why you think what they are doing is not poetry? Are you showing them anything they can take away that is positive? I don't mean coddling people and their bad writing, I mean giving people the time in your opinion on how they can do better.

It's easy to say "It's not poetry." It's a lot more important and credible to say, "It's not poetry, and here's why..."


Do well.

Answer 4

My goodness! This should be in the "philosophy" category; your comments speak volumes about the kind of person you are. No, you shouldn't be afraid to rain on anyone's parade, and just because you're not a poet yourself, you have every right to criticise; CONSTRUCTIVELY. However, I AM a poet, and there are several contributors here who write imaginative and meaningful prose and poetry. Good poetry IS rare, but that doesn't mean that people with little or no talent should be denied opportunities. It is unfair to put people down; we cannot all be academics.

It is apparent on this site that far too many people lack the ability to write in a grammatically correct or literate fashion; people's ignorance about punctuation and grammar is very worrying.

However, you need to remember that not everybody has had the benefit of a good education, as you clearly have had. Pomposity is a very unattractive characteristic, and you should bear in mind and that people have as much right to exercise their efforts, however small, as you have to criticise their efforts.

Answer 5

I love poetry too, I am also a published poet

Brilliant poetry may be rare, but as with music, as with any art form there are many different genres, as the years go by it evolves and takes on a life of its own.

It was not so long ago that the art of poetry nearly died, because people, old poets were unwilling to let go of old tradition and allow the new generation to take over.

All poetry is good, as long as it keeps the art alive. You may listen to Bach and I Linkin Park, neither one is better than the other, only different.

Brilliant poetry is rare, good poetry all around us.

Keep writing people, as long as people keep reading.

Answer 6

Hi,

It is like a food critic, the majority are crap cooks but they know the right taste and combination for a good meal.

The same with you, just because you cannot write poetry does not mean you cannot have an opinion on what 'you' think is good or bad.

Half thee painting you see are not worth th canvas they are painted on but just because a few critics idolise them they are worth a fortune.

Look at Van Gogh's Chair, I have seen better infant school kids painting that were better.

Skip

Answer 7

Then read magazines for poets... and contribute to them... or join a poetry forum online and afford them much wanted feedback...

Since good constructive criticism is always wanted by writers and appreciated too... I'm a writer so I know this... and as long as you don't insult the writer personally... and are being constructive in your criticism... and not merely scoring points... or putting other peoples dreams... of being poets down.

This is merely a fun forum... it's all about interaction and decidedly not a seriously heavy writers corner!

We all have to start somewhere and at least they are trying... and as life progresses and their experience with the written word develops... they may surprise you yet.

Poetry takes all forms and is written by all sorts of people... the best poetry comes from the heart and not al poetry rhymes either... though I prefer the sort that does and write a lot myself.

People are usually moved to write poetry through suffering pain... or loss... and when in love... or on a voyage of self discovery... and even inside fear... since the worst and the best of life's experiences move us to write verse as a form of expression for our feelings...

I often think in rhym... and when on top form I can't stop myself from making ditties up inside my head... ask my dog if you don't believe me... she thinks I'm mad as well... I sing them to her;-)

'You think that you're a poet with something to be said
You think that other people have less inside their head
You want to shout out loud to them that it doesn't rhym
Yet you could be a help to them if you'd take the time!'

Off the cuff... especially for you my friend... read and digest!

Answer 8

Right you are, sir. Neither am I a poet, but the written word, in all its forms, has the potential for great power. It is NOT wrong for you to want to be honest. Of course you'll get many a thumbs-down for being so; we're, so many of us, about ego-stroking and have no genuine interest in constructive criticism or the improvement it begets. Oh, woe, to be criticized is so painful and discouraging! Let the undeserved praise flow...

As an aside, I see this in many areas of life... people seek the opinions primarily of people they are reasonably assured will agree with them. Take, for instance, a mother, a psychiatrist by trade, with three nearly unbearable children. When her children's behaviors are addressed by an educated, experienced provider who cares for them 45-55 hours per week, she seeks consultation from other medical and mental health professionals (colleagues, really, people with whom she works) and friends, and she consequently makes myriad excuses for said behaviors. Would one honestly think that any of these individuals, people with whom she is affiliated and/or socially intimate, have the sac to suggest that, while perhaps normal, the way her children are acting may be problematic and necessitate efforts toward modification?

Yeah, people just don't like their dreams dashed. "Poets" are very attached to their products... as are parents. That precludes us, sometimes, from being honest with ourselves... and each other. In the end though, mate, be honest. You may get a thumbs-down or two, but they'll realize they're work sucks soon enough...

:-)

Answer 9

Message to the other answerers: Why Chicago get so many thumbs down, he WAS the user Donovan T. He was a great user, and message to the questioner: you might as well just leave him alone. He left because he didn't want to be part of this section anymore (no offense) and giving his account back would be useless, sure he'll have his account back but theres no chance that hes coming back anytime soon.

Answer 10

It all depends on what you mean by poetry. I think that the modern, English language, definition is
'Anything written by someone who claims to be a 'poet' which he claims to be poetry.'
Based on that empirical definition, yes you are wrong.
But do keep in mind all the great works of modern art that Saatchi bought. He didn't have them on display in his mansion. He kept them in a wharehouse!