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 A place for discussion on poetry, reviews, contests, etc. |
People write poetry for many reasons. Perhaps it is the desire to inform and enlighten others. The challenge of crafting the language into something meaningful, like molding a clump of clay with your hands, is a refreshing recreational outlet. Writing also provides the opportunity to express the most personal responses to this mysterious, beautiful, and sometimes painful world in the shapes, sounds, textures, and emotions of the imagination as a powerful means of therapeutic release. Receiving readers' reactions, such as "gave me chills" or "laughed so hard I almost peed my pants," made me realize that the desire to entertain is also a driving force. The thought of getting up on stage like a stand-up comedian would petrify me, but I have no problem putting thoughts and emotions on paper to share with an unseen audience. Although the writing provides an opportunity to rant, rave, moan, groan, and pour all of those pent-up emotions out on the page, those raw ramblings may not be suitable for consumption by an audience. Feelings and emotion, rather than reason, usually control our thoughts and opinions. An old picture or song can trigger a flood of memories and emotion. When expressions of emotion and true sentiment descend into the realm of self-pitying declarations of grief and gushy professions of love, the reader will regard the work as boring and superficial. Phrases like “the joy of motherhood” and “love so true” are not only generic, but also cliche’. It isn’t the emotion that is bad. It is the feeble expression of it and the apparent false inflation. The less talk ABOUT emotions in general and the more presentation of specific details that convey emotions, the more effective the writing will be. In order to connect with that audience beyond the mention of abusive relationships, loss of loved ones, or severe depression, the poet must find a group of sensory details with which the readers can relate and arrange them in word combinations providing the lyrical quality to support those images. Careful design of the word selection and arrangement, the length and density of each line, and the breakdown of stanzas must provide a natural rhythm. That is, through much toil in search of precise language, experimentation with forming lines and stanzas, and extensive revision, the writer carefully crafts a work that appears natural, authentic, and convincing to the reader. Your assignment: Write a poem involving an emotional reaction to some event that seems to be about something else. Talk around your strong feelings; don’t declare them directly. Reference Sources: Poetry Newsletter  , May 20, 2015 by fyn-busy writing!!!   The Philosophy of Composition by Edgar Allan PoeLet the creativity flow from your soul!  Dave "The Poet's Place " |
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