To all who read- Some believe poems don't or shouldn't have rules but really there are...to some, so I thought I would state my beliefs and knowledge on that issue. To clear things up before I get attacked again by others who read and jump to conclusions about my intentions or what I meant by starting this thread; again, this doesn't mean I agree with these rules. This thread is basically asking opinions and feelings about the issue/topic of poetry, it's definitions and what has been stated thus far about the topic of poetry. What have you heard? What do you agree and disagree with? Therefore, rules-what do you do as a rule if you have one, do you agree with having rules in poetry? Meanings- what does it mean to you, should it have a meaning? Defined-should it be defined? What grabs you about poetry? What style grabs you? Here is what I have found whether I agree with it or not through things I have read in time: 1. One must understand/have some knowledge of the meaning of poetry to write it. 2. A poem can be a story and in series or parts, a narrative 3. The freedom to express one's feelings. The following is taken from the Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary 1976: poem - 1.) A composition in verse, characterized by the imaginative treatment of experience and a condensed use of language. 2.) Any composition in verse. 3.) Any composition of work of art characterized by intensity and beauty. poet - 1.) One who writes poems. 2.) One esp. endowed with imagination and the creative faculty or power of artistic expression. poetic - 1.) Of or pertaining to a poet or poetry. 2.) Having the nature of quality of or expressed in poetry: a poetic theme. 3.) Having or showing the sensibility, feelings, faculty, etc., of a poet. poetic justice - The ideal distribution of rewards to the good and punishment to the evil as often represented in literature. story - 1.) A narrative or recital of an event or series of events, whether real or fictitious. 2.) A narrative, usu. of fictitious events, intended to entertain a reader or hearer. 3.) A short story. 4.) A report. 5.) A news article in a newspaper or magazine; also the material for such an article. 6.) An anecdote. 7.) in formal A lie. 8.) The series of events in a novel, play, etc.
Sorry but I totally disagree with that, not the definitions just the fact that you are defining poetry. Boswell said - What is poetry - No one answered him. A poem is a channel for emotion. I cba anymore.
poetic justice - The ideal distribution of rewards to the good and punishment to the evil as often represented in literature. the use of the word poetic in that term aptly breaks the bonds of your definitions... poetic, I do think
Boswell? Refresh my memory on who and how old Boswell is. No one may have answered at that time but isn't that what I just did in my own opinion? And tomandhismuse just said "poetry is a channel for emotion". Are you not then defining poetry yourself? And to the term of "poetic justice" that was responded to...I just defined what it was in 1976, what it is today is irrelevant to the fact that at once it was defined as I quoted. They were not my words. When did people get the idea that they could change definitions to a word?...just curious.
ahhh, entymology, the origin of words, yes. Think of freedom. Freedom is exactly what has been defined. The freedom of expression, thought, artistic creation, to think how a word came into existence, anything becoming existent or forever existent...a poem. A poem in itself cannot be defined where it came from but a poem can be defined in modern language what we think a poem can or should be. Then why not free the mind completely and think that everything is in itself a poem. Could it be? I myself was not trying to limit what a poem should be or define but simply to begin to make one think, to open a discussion maybe. To hear one's ideas about poems and the topic of poems. Sorry if some have been mistaken about my words you read, but to limit, to control anything...that would be unethical of me...a person who has a passion for expression and anything artistic that can come from the mind.
fuck some funken wagnel Poetry has no rules, anyone who says otherwise is obviously not a poet and cannot understand poetry.
perhaps too many people are pent up on not wanting to face a reality that exists right in front of them. Words, words are what you make of them, and people think they know everything that is attached to a word, becoming offensive when in all reality everything is an opinion anyway. What one person says is not usually intended as what the reader interprets it to be. As one thought crosses the mind it gets registered differently because of personal experience which creates a "personality".
i disagree with your statement that one must understand the meaning of poetry to be able to write it ... i don't even think you need to know how to spell poetry to write it. write from the heart ... put your life force into your words and we'll know and nod and understand ... flower power dude.
I'm not asking for anything nor am I trying to define anything. Sadly their is a book out there "poetry for dummies". So if you think what I posted originally has been done is my opinion, maybe some of you need to re-evaluate and understand what I am saying and have put here. I actually agree with many if not most of you. I have put down what I have read, simply just read and observed. Does not mean I agree with what is. Question authority remember? So yes, I'm asking for opinions, how you feel. Is it not important to know what another feels? If any disagree then why are you in this forum? Why are you here period. Words are feelings. Words are whatever you want them to be...doesn't mean interpretation is how the writer has intended it. I'm not perfect nor have I claimed to be. What one starts with does not mean that one puts everything in their mind into it. There could always be more and more clear. A note to Jim if he reads here again, he states that one shouldn't even know how to spell to write poetry but yet he persists on telling some they need to reread to spell better. hmmm?
exactly dude ... you don't need to spell to be able to "write" poetry but once it is written most of our stuff needs revision and fine tuning which by definition means correcting grammar and spelling... what i meant was that getting it out of you and onto paper is the first step and that first step does not require you to be a spelling bee champion.
well yes I agree Jim, but to be all honest, when you release, just let go. When you let go the best release comes. Maybe I'm taking things a different way because my mom forced spelling down my throat and when I see others reminding of spelling error I remember her anger that went with it. I see pointing out flaws instead of what was really good about what the person released. No offense, just my own personal problem with interpretation and relation to what I hear...like many other's I've seen posting on this thread.
I don't really care for definitions, but I do agree with your personal beliefs, others might not and that's just how it goes. I wish more people would treat 'poetry' as craft as well as an emotional outlet. There must be a balance. Also to address the statement in number 1, I believe that if it wasn't for my exposure to poetry and all things poetic, along with reading numerous works by others, I would not have acquired the appreciation and experience when dealing with poetry, poetic devices and hidden meanings.
