I’m not so sure about poets. First of all, why the need to proclaim oneself a poet? It’s almost like saying you went to Harvard. Nobody asked, nobody cares.
Whenever I meet someone who calls themselves a poet I automatically feel like I’m being peered at through my eyes into my soul where I’d rather not everyone went.
Bad poetry: it’s everywhere. Anyone can slap together a bunch of random adjectives, mythical concepts, and colors, and pretend like they are William Blake.
It’s totally possible that I am perhaps too young and don’t have the “depth of soul” that older poets might have. I accept this possibility, but I still view most poetry as cheap.
There are a few poems I thouroghly enjoy, however.
This one is by Mary Oliver, and it is just part of a longer poem which I don’t feel like pasting.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention,
Hey William, no offense to you personally. I like your response. Don’t pay too much attention to my opinions. ( I don’t like things that I don’t understand, like most poetry )
My opinion is that if anyone wants to write they write as if no one will read it. So they don’t concern themselves with the fact that it is going to sound good or bad.
Not everyone cares to impress crowds or receive praise/awards/money. Its more personal or worldly for some. Besides everything has already been thought of before, it just a matter of thinking of it again.
I don’t understand most poetry because my brain works in a very literal way. I do appreciate it, though, especially when it’s put to music. My favorite is Josh Ritter. He tells a coherent story in his songs. This one was written about my life.
I occasionally write a poem, and one thing I am discovering is that the people who write the great poems that will be remembered put a lot more effort into their poetry. Amateur poets like myself tend to sit down and puzzle over a poem they’re writing for an hour or two, and then think their work is finished. Most of the poems that get preserved for future generations have authors who were great scholars and who agonized over their poetry for days, weeks, months … I suppose that if you write even a little you are a writer, but dedicated writers are a different breed. They’re extremely hard working.
I never understood poetry. I took a class in English and during the semester the teacher covered poetry.
She tried to helped us to analyze poetry and understand WTF the poets are talking about. I just do not like poetry.
Hey poets, just come out an say what you mean, don’t confuse me.
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