Okay, I got my first ever medal awarded (Thanks @Wreybies!) and it's for POETRY!!!!! It's just a small thing but seriously, I love that my medal is for my simple little poem I get my children to read along with me. I love having a WF-medal!!! I'm sorry if I sound boastful, I'm just so pleased to have something for an activity that gives me so much pleasure—minus the overburden of writing a story scene! Poetry is just great creative value to me. I will say, going back to when I started this journey, adding the awareness of poetry to my writing life has drastically helped my prose. I'm so much more conscious of my language now and I make a point to extend my usage of words. I pause to think in terms of a poetic paint brush these days when I write my stories. If you have not tried yet, I recommend you all give the Bi-Weekly comps a go. It's one of a the few little activities I look forward to online. And if anyone is shy or worried about losing etc, the purpose is just about FUN. I love spending time re-tweaking my little rhymes. Please do have a look if you have a moment: https://www.writingforums.org/weekly-poetry-contests/ As always, thank you to our wonderful poetry comp administrator @theoriginalmonsterman who keeps the poetic themes interesting, and the gears moving smoothly each fortnight. Also, thank you to all those people who vote each week! Geez... I feel I should talk about world peace or something now...
Poetry scares me, and this is why. I think most of us who write fiction can spot good writing when we read it (or maybe we can't - how can we know?) but I'm certain I don't know poetry when I read it - good or bad. It's the old layman's adage, isn't it? "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like." And that's true with poetry. I've read poems, and while some blow me away, others leave me cold. Problem is the ones that leave me cold aren't necessarily bad. One of my favourites, for what it's worth, is Siegfried Sassoon's Suicide in the Trenches: I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go.
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly on this and I feel the same. But these days my approach to poetry is to not think good or bad and more to think if it invokes ANYTHING within me. And bad can be good. I like to write people bad poetry online because I know it makes them smile. I see poetry as a means to trigger emotion of any kind. Try critiquing poetry on this forum! It's kinda pointless to me, so what I do is judge if the poetry inspires me in anyway. The really, really good ones FOR ME, I wouldn't change because it speaks to me. The ones I want to change, well the author put enough words in there to inspire something in me, so that's a compliment. And then there are ones I feel absolutely nothing but other's enjoy. It all comes down to taste, past experience, what meaning we attach to words, how we like our words arranged and the rhythm we have within us that is all different. I'd look at someone's piece and it is all wrong in my head but that's a personal language thing I feel. But all my babbling probably doesn't make sense so ignore me. lol Also, I'm glad I'm not scared of poetry anymore. I feel not trying to appreciate poetry is in someways missing an opportunity to broaden one's appreciation of the artistry behind language. I never understood this before. I find words have MORE meaning since. It's almost a reminder to really focus and take an interest in words and their usage. Thank you. I love it when people share their favorite poetry in this thread.
First of all, congratulations!! That's exciting and rewarding. Second of all, 100% agree. My prose always improves dramatically when I immerse myself in quality poetry. It helps my mind consider different ways to express a thought beyond the expected, and it makes writing feel easier overall. I've been considering throwing my hat in to one of these poetry contests these days, and you've inspired me. I'm going to give a go next time!
A friend of mine, a well-respected artist, told me that the adage should read "I don't know much about art, but I like what I know."
I'm excited you'll go into the next one! YAY! Can't wait for the what the next theme is to be honest. I'm also glad you know what I mean. To put it simply, poetry just makes me love language more. I've even found that I pay more attention to lyrics in songs since. In the past, I really just listened to the melody. @deadrats - I can't answer your question, hopefully someone else can. Poetry for me is not something I am interested in publishing. They really are bits of emotions and thought for me to appreciate a moment in time. But I know others would not see it that way.
Yes, I used to back when I was serious about writing poetry. It's been years though. I got many rejections, but two of my poems were accepted. They weren't famous magazines (I think both are now out of business), but for a 20-year-old kid, it was a good ego boost. From looking at the poems in the Workshop and the contest, I think more people here should submit poetry to paying. I've read poems on here that I've liked more than some of the poems I see in magazines. Posting poems in the Workshop and critiquing other members' poems are great ways to learn about new techniques, ideas, and ways of approaching poetry. I used to know nothing about poetry until I dove in and started critiquing. While I'm no expert, I have a much better understanding of poetry, which I'd say has made me a better poet.
You have to go to Oxford or Cambridge to be a poet, and must write about the classical age - Perseus, Hades and Zeus, contrast their struggles against your own plight as a balding man, and your erectile dysffff...how you are in love with a teenage receptionist, a Medusa, and shall seduce her. Poetry Magazine in Chicago is famous, send them a poem. There's other more rustic, cottage type poets who write riddles for poor people, that's another option with your new career. Poetic prose? Prose poems are great...fun? I like [writing] those. I joined one site called Write Out Loud - lots of links to open mic nights, and also you can be 'poem of the week.' I've been there about two years. Nobody has ever spoken to me, not bitter.
@thirdwind Does this all mean you'll be entering the next comp? *looking earnestly at you* @matwoolf Can you please include some of those poems here so I can be educated Matty? (that's also your new nickname for me - are you reading this Barnie? @I.A. By the Barn) Huh and what? Are you able to include some of those poems here so I can be educated Matty? You bitter? NEVER. But just in case you are wallowing in bitterness... I know it's hard to tell, but that's a fairy floss and not a feather duster for cleaning. hehe Edit: I could be wrong. Try it and see...
Haha. Probably not. School has been keeping me busy the last few years. Maybe once everything winds down, I'll post something in the Workshop so that you guys can tear it apart.
Okay, this is @Wayjor Frippery 's favourite poem previously posted on this thread, but I found another reading of it by Anthony Hopkins...and honestly, I love it. I posted it somewhere else for a friend but I really want to add this vid to my favourite poetry thread as well. For me, it encompasses the power of poetry when read well and then coupled with mood and imagery! Maybe it'll inspire someone.
Yes, yes I am now. What am I supposed to be doing here? I feel very lost... And I want to steal Anthony Hopkin's voice right now...
To me it's all about connecting the dots. Well actually it's connecting the thoughts. Start by writing short thoughts on whatever you have available. Be sure to keep pens and notepads everywhere. If in the bathroom write on the toilet paper. Then gather all your notes, and connect them together. Edit it later. One the snack is sized perfectly fits into the palm of her hand one is the serving recommended !perfect! on the package nutritional details dilemma: the package serves two so either she has to share the other portion or hide it, save it for later the manufacturer of this product doesn't know her personally but somehow she's pretty certain it knows exactly what she will do
@Shnette - thank you for contributing to this thread. And a cute poem... I've just decided it was time to get back into shape for summer... Somehow it was like a friendly reminder! One serving...not two, won't eat #2...I won't... Your words immediately reminded me of the youtube vid I was watching this morning on eminem. He was showing his boxes of notes. With me, everything just goes into my ipad (which is glued to me) and google docs (so it's always accessible) these days. So many files of whatevers. I'll join the dots when my brain is clear or I'm struck by the inspiration lightning. Also, welcome to the forum. Make sure you have some fun with the poetry comps, because they really are lotsa fun. There appears to be more exciting changes coming up! https://www.writingforums.org/weekly-poetry-contests/
Oh I'm sorry Barnie, I forgot to reply back to you. You're here because you are going to be the next famous poet...only you'll still be alive and living your dream of Conservationalist (did I get that right? I feel like I should have written conversationalist...). But the point is, you will be writing poetry about whispering trees and raging volcanoes and so on and so forth. Yes, I want Anthony Hopkins voice too. I tried to emulate it but I didn't sound so hot. For fun, I recorded myself and played it back to hubby. He wasn't very encouraging...his opinion boiled down to, TURN IT OFF!!! Bastard.
Calling Poets to vote for changes in to the poetry comps... I am back here again... because I love this thread and all the helpful souls that have passed through and contributed. So our wonderful poetry comp administrator (@theoriginalmonsterman) has a voting poll running for changes to the poetry comps. Some really good suggestions to bring more fun and focus to Poetry writing. More votes are needed and it takes so little time to offer your opinion for voting. It ends this Friday. Me personally, I'd love to see Author specific comps. It will help bring exposure to all the famous poets and be inspiration in writing new poetry. I've mentioned it before in this thread, but I am always curious as to what goes through a person's mind when they read a famous piece; what makes it so broadly appreciated. Also, it's a great exercise in learning, writing and having fun all at the same time. I'm always for multi-purpose. I think it'll make our poetry comps different from other forums too. Of course, my opinion is my own. If you have a free moment, your time would be much valued in dropping a few votes. And I can't say it enough, but people shouldn't be shy entering. It really is just a lot of fun, and unlike a lot of silly things we do online, it's a healthy procrastination device if you're poetically geared... And you get a pretty little medal if you win! https://www.writingforums.org/threads/vote-now-poetry-contest-revamp-2016.148533/#post-1493011
I'd second that medal buddy - i only entered because you suggested it to me, and I won - yo ho ho and a bottle of calvados (I know it doesnt ryhme but I don't like rum)
Oh, I was thinking on this latest poetry revamp polling run some more... Author Specific Competition = Steal from Be Inspired by Famous Poetry Competition I am really, really curious if it's there's any substance behind T.S Eliot's quote: Immature poets imitate. Mature poets steal. It'd be so interesting to see if people can fast-track themselves into good poets or strike gold if they pinch ideas or inspiration from famous pieces... Voting URL: https://www.writingforums.org/threads/vote-now-poetry-contest-revamp-2016.148533/#post-1493011 (@theoriginalmonsterman - I have a one track mind okay!) Edit: To uphold ethical standards of WF policies... hehe
Shout out to the Haiku Poetry Comp currently running... https://www.writingforums.org/threads/poetry-contest-278-theme-image-005.148928/#post-1500083 It's the most fun I've had in a WF comp so far. I'm sure I'm not suppose to be laughing at the Haiku entries... *Laughing secretly away from the official thread*
I love poetry. For me, it's the most honest writing form. Easy to start, just start writing ideas in poetry form. You'll get good really quickly. Practice. Repeat. There might even be a decent market for it - I'm experimenting with that at the moment.
I smile every time I read those three words from writers I bump into online. Thanks for dropping in to share some encouragement. And if you're ever in the mood to share your experiments, feel free to post here or PM me! I'll read with interest.
The power to take a mundane thought and articulate it powerfully, and with resonance is a wonderful thing. Today I read Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The basic thought that the passage of time renders even the greatest of men to dust and a vague memory that will eventually be scattered to the winds, can, in the hands of a poet, be turned into a powerful evocation. I have no idea how someone becomes a poet, but I am glad that some do. Perhaps it is about capturing an essence of wonder and clarifying a thought through a mind willing to consider the world about them in a different way.