Poetry, Art, and Expression of Words

This week’s reading really got me thinking about the differences between poetry and other forms of artistic expressions that utilize words and letters to convey their message. While I certainly thought the examples within the handout were unique and clever, I must admit that while looking at them I felt that I wasn’t viewing poetry, but a different form of art. In the end, I felt very confused and lost on exactly what defines poetry from other forms of art.

After looking over the handout and thinking of other examples of poetry we have read, I came up with my own personal definition of what constitutes a poem oppose to a form of art. My personal opinion is that both poetry and other forms art can use words to express their own personal meanings, but where they differ is in how the words are used to accomplish this. I believe that poetry is unique in the fact that it uses letters, sounds, and words to create images and emotions within the reader. Oppose to other forms of art that instead use words, letters, and sounds to be a part of an actual image that in turn causes the viewer/reader to feel certain emotions and thoughts.

Overall, while my definition may not cover every poet or artist’s works, it certainly gave me a base for understanding poetry and art better. Ultimately whether as an image or a creator of an image I believe words can be powerful tools in expression, and I look forward to learning more about both styles.

Nature and Originality

I would like to learn more about structures. I've never been one for writing structured poetry, but I feel like it might be a hard thing to teach oneself. Like Sam and Maddie, I've been feeling like I have a bit of writer's block lately. Normally I see something when I'm outdoors and get so incredibly inspired (Wordsworth style) that I'm anxious to go sit down and write about, having hardly formed coherent thoughts. But I feel like with the questioning of "what is quality poetry?, what is REAL poetry?", I now have a bit of self-doubt stifling the creative impulse. Like Sam, I went on Peak Weekend...and you would think that anybody would come back from that just bursting with observations and experiences that are great fodder for writing about. Yes, I had a fabulous time on the hike. But I felt no impulse to write about it. I'm wondering how I can delve past the mindset of "Oh, I've written about nature so often in the past. How can I be original about it still? How can I capture a reader and create tension and draw them in?". Because I feel like until I get past my own mindblock of having already done something, I'm stuck.
Hence: I'm trying to write sonnets for our next assignment. Operative word: TRY. I'm kinda throwing the iambic pentameter out of the proverbial window, because its hard enough to write a poem and put tension and meaning into it AND have it be a certain number of lines and syllables without getting into meter. Yeesh.
So anyway. Rhyme's Reason strikes serious doubt into my self assurance. Of course I'm taking this class to learn and become a better poet...but its hard reading a book that tells the readers "Oh, by the way. You're not actually a poet. Nice try. Very cute. You just write verse that is meaningful to you but is really mundane. Translation...HEY AMATUER- YOU SUCK!!".
Fun, right? Essentially, I'm trying to figure out how to keep my originality while writing something that meets the definition of "oh-so-high-and-mighty-erudite-poetry". Awesome.

Originality Continued

I really like the points that have been raised regarding originality. I agree with Shaunie when she said that to be original does not mean having to come up with ideas that have never been written about before. If you just think of all the poetry that has ever been written, or even books, or songs, it would be impossible to cover a topic that has never been spoken of. Why do you suppose there are so many covers of songs? Or books that are made into movies? Or even poets who borrow styles from other poets? These are all ways of using someone's ideas, and then putting a spin on them to find new ways to entertain and to reach people.

To write a poem about something that has been done before, but to make it fresh, new, exciting and original, is quite a mighty and praise-worthy task. For example, we all discovered how hard this was to do during our writing exercise, using magazines, in last week's class. We have even come across poems in class that have been worked off previous pieces or used by more recent poets. For example, when reading William Carlos William's poem 'A Sort of Song', I couldn't help but be reminded of Tupac Shakur's poem 'The rose that grew from concrete." They both use strong symbolic images such as a rock, and a flower. They both have similar metaphors and messages, too, referring to creation, overcoming obstacles, growth, and the difference between conventional and modern poetry.

I think referring to past poetry can be a way to overcome writer's block. Even if you don't use ideas or styles similar to the ones that you read, the act of reading any kind of material can spark ideas completely unrelated to what the was trying to be conveyed.

getting out of the box

This class has been really good at opening my eyes to all sorts of different poetry. However, with that, I've been finding it hard branch out of my little box type of poetry. Everyone else seems to write so well and have different writing styles; it's inspiring but also intimidating at the same time. I find myself wanting to write more like everyone else but once I sit down, I realize I'm just writing the same thing as always. Most of my poems I find are the same rhyme pattern and the same old cliche lines. I think I am going to really try to change my poetry and what I write about. Professor Hummer keeps talking about maybe taking a line or two from a familiar poem and twisting it around and building on that, and I think I might try that in order to get out of my writer's block and same old routine of poetry. Someone also had a good point of just working off of two lines that I write and really like and want to incorporate. Something I really want to accomplish, is writing abstract poems because I think they are really intriguing and thought provoking. I'm not sure I quite know how to do that yet, so if anyone has any suggestions on how to do this, that would be great.

"Original"

One mistake I think many people make when they begin writing is becoming absolutely obsessed with being one hundred percent “original.” Yes, poetry is art, and therefore one should always try to be original when crafting a piece – but being "original, at least to me, doesn’t have anything to do with writing about ideas that no one in the world has ever thought of before. Conversely, it’s about taking the ideas that every single person in the world has thought of and presenting them in a way that makes somedbody think, “I never looked at it like that.”

Photographers take pictures of things we see every day: smiling children, the view from a mountain, etc. Why then, do we still care so much for their work? Because, with their composition, they make us see that smiling child, that precipice, through their eyes. By achieving a unique angle or lighting, for a split second they show us a new way to see the commonplace. Poetry is the same way.

I think a big part of getting over writer’s block is redefining the word “original,” as well as the word “cliché.” If poetry, like so many of us have claimed, is about tapping into the universal, what good would it be to write about ideas no one has previously cared about? Themes like love, loss, death, and hope will never become "old." They are what, as humans, we naturally gravitate towards; the trick is finding new and unique ways to present them. Whenever I run into writer’s block and begin feeling less than extraordinary, this is what I try to focus on. I hope the concept helps someone else out too.

Writer's Block

I don't know if this helps anyone, but whenever I write a poem, or anything for that matter, I don't try to think of what I want to say, or what kind of rhyme scheme I feel like using; the only thing I do is start making up single sentences in my head that I think sound interesting. Usually, thinking of one line causes me to think of a second. At this point, the only thing I know about my poem is that I want those two lines in there. Starting with that premise, I am able to make a poem and form ideas as to what direction I want my poem to take and how I want to transition from the fist of the preconceived lines to the second. Maybe I'm just weird and that method only works for me, but if there is anyone in the class who can't think of anything to write about, maybe give it a try, see what happens. On a side note, because this is the way I tend to approach writing, I find it difficult to write within the constraints of a prompt. The assignmet about tension was a much more difficult poem for me to write than either of the workshop pieces. Anyway, I hope I someone finds my thought process to be useful in overcoming their writer's block. Either way, I'll probably need some help getting over my own writer's block for the next prompted assignment.

Frustration

I want to comment back on Maddie's frustration of having writers block. I know that this is my first poetry class ever, and poetry isn't supposed to come easy. I cannot seem to find inspiration anywhere. I went to peak weekend this past weekend and I am very "outdoorsy" and connected with the outdoors but I didn't really seem to find any exciting or inspiring. I could just write some meaningless poem about how pretty the drive was, the perfect weather and the smell of the outdoors, but I feel like that is quite exhausted. I don't want to write about normal things that arn't exciting or that everyone writes about. I want to strive to be different and write about new things, but I am new at this and I know it can be super hard, I just feel like I have to keep trying.

I really liked the exercise that we did last class but didn't get to finish. I might try and find some inspiration that way. I was thinking about instead of using an article, I could use a song, or an old fable, and twist it around. I liked the topic I got last time because it was about the environment and about how downhill our economy has been going and about how the government isn't doing anything. Maybe I will even try and twist that around as well.

When we discussed what the poems are and are not it made me think about what I have already written. Some of my poetry has been pretty low skill level and pretty elementary, or at least it seems that way to me. I have always wanted to write a children's book or make greeting cards later on in life (secret dream) so possibly that is why I love to rhyme and make things simple.

When I read the story of Bluebeard in this class I had no clue as to what the story’s moral was. It seemed as if it was just some random and morbid tale of a man with a blue beard killing his wives. However, during class I did recall that I actually read the story in a Literature of Love class my senior year of high school. The story gives great insight into the fears, expectations, and realities of love, relationships, and marriage. The story explores the fears women may have toward marriage and sheds light on the institution of marriage in the time the story was written. In this sense, the story is very similar to that of Beauty and the Beast. In Beauty and the Beast, the main character Belle must marry the Beast, or else her father will be killed. Just like Bluebeard, the Beast is older and frightening looking. Both female protagonists are taken away from their families and are forced into marriage, which involves the intimidating unknowns of sex, older and more experienced men, possible violence, power in relationships, and growing up. Whereas both highlight female marital fears, the two do differ in their moral. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle comes to love the Beast despite his hideous features. In Belles case, marriage becomes much less scary and even romantic. In the story of Bluebeard the situation is far different. Even though the same fears of marriage are evident in both stories, the story of Bluebeard has actualized violence. The eldest daughter does not come to love Bluebeard as Elle came to love the Beast, in fact, the eldest daughter ends up tricking Bluebeard to his demise.

Bluebearddd

Having never heard previously of the Bluebeard legend, I was unaccustomed to the multiple variations of the myth. The poems we read ranged from a couple stanzas to page length narratives. Some of the poems depicted more than one tale, such as Howard Nemerov’s “Fifth Macabre Song, Bluebeard’s Wife.” I thought Nemerov’s incorporation of the Minotaur was an interesting twist because the story of Bluebeard (as I have come to find out) classically contains no flesh-eating beasts of Greek folklore.

While we were discussing Sylvia Plath’s “Bluebeard” in class today, I brought up an intriguing point about the author’s intentions on which I wish to elaborate. The question was what does Plath mean when she says, “in his eye’s darkroom I can see my X-rayed heart, dissected body: I am sending back the key that let me into Bluebeard’s study?” I feel that “the eye’s darkroom” is quite literally a place—bluebeard’s study—but also exists as a metaphor for bluebeard’s mind and the secrets he keeps ciphered in his thought processes. In a sense, Plath is saying that she is sending back the “key” that unlocks bluebeard’s mind.

Building off of what Madeleine posted, the tone was very empowering for the woman and indeed dismantling for the man. This is evident in Plath’s choice; look at how she describes the act of making love. Plath writes, “because he would make love to me,” rather than “I made love to him,” or “we made love together.” This particular choice in words designates the woman as the protagonist; because he made love to her, and not the other way around, it sounds as if the woman is the victim in this relationship between her and bluebeard.

Lastly, as a man of many rhymes, I found it interesting how the use of the rhyme differs from one poem to the next. Whereas some poems contain no rhyme scheme, others use rhymes to promote a general silliness, such as Guy Wetmore Carryl’s “How the Helpmate of Blue-Beard Made Free with a Door”. Rhyme pairs like bosphorus and phosphorous make the reader feel like he is reading a nursery rhyme and therefore encourages a more comical approach. On the contrary, Plath’s rhyme scheme is somewhat less Dr. Seussical and in effect gives the poem a more serious tone.

Blubeard & Writer's Block

I enjoyed today’s class discussion about the Bluebeard legend and the assigned set of poems that interpreted the legend differently. It’s so interesting to see how different writers, who come from diverse backgrounds, are able to give the legend their own unique twist by adding elements of their emotional background and interpretations. In particular, I really admired Sylvia Plath’s poem Bluebeard because although it was simple, it had a profound message. Its tone was very empowering because the woman is sending back the key to Bluebeard and regaining her power. It is apparent that Plath is giving the legend a feminist twist, and dismantling the power that is rooted within the man (Bluebeard) in the relationship. I also thought it was interesting how the types of rhymes in the poem have gender incorporated into their name (masculine rhyme, etc.), and how the different genders in rhyme correlate with the tension between women and men reflected in the poem. In my opinion, this technique definitely made the point of the poem more affective.

I’m a bit disappointed that I’ve run into writer’s block. I feel like my ability to absorb inspiration is going through a detour and has not reached its destination in my mind. It’s weird because there are so many different things a person can write about… really, it can be about anything! I guess I’m just lacking ways to assign unique metaphors to the ideas I have and the feelings I’m experiencing. To gain additional inspiration, I usually try to immerse myself in nature and gain insight about my surroundings and myself through each experience. I’ve been really inspired by the array of people I have met since the beginning of the school year, so I may try using my conversations with them to aid in creating more poetry. Do any of you have any techniques for combating writer’s block? Hopefully, I’ll be able to get inspired before Thursday’s poem is due!

concepts

I have recently become interested in the high stakes aspect of the poems as well. I love the fact that high tension and high stakes creates such an interesting plot and climax. I find it hard to capture that moment though. It is difficult to place yourself in that moment and only focus on one aspect of what has really happened at that exact time. I am starting to really love the challenge because it is making me focus and really try to understand what point I am trying to get across.

A way I have realized that is helpful to create that one moment in time is by the use of tension, which is also challenging to achieve in a great way. I am still working on it and perfecting it but it is such a good technique. I try to use rhyming, but sometimes that seems too elementary and too simple. Non rhyming sometimes works better because then there is only the moment you have to focus on, not if the poem is rhyming or not. If you can master the technique of rhyming, props, because I cannot seem to do it. Creating tension in that one moment of time, in my opinion, is one of the hardest but most powerful way to capture a reader. I am excited to keep trying and keep pushing myself to make the best out of how we discuss tension and ways to create plot in class. 

(sorry this is posted late, I guess it didn't go through when I tried to post it last night:/)

High and Low Stakes

I’ve found myself very interested lately in the concept of “high stakes” we’ve discussed in class. It seems to me that most of the poetry I like happens to be tinged with significant sadness, and that, accompanying that sadness, there are usually high stakes and difficult questions: What if you make the wrong decision, and you manage to lose someone’s trust? What if you make a joke using uncouth humor? What if you write a poem like Dorothy Parker’s, “One Perfect Rose,” and come off as conceited to your readers? All these decisions have consequences that could potentially cause pain, and it is that risk to which we seem most attached. What makes the possibility and or expression of pain so appealing to people? Is it that we are all just melodramatic and suckers for punishment? I don’t think so; rather, I believe there is a much more sensible answer. Pain is a universal emotion that we all can tap into in some way. The fear of losing someone we love is a universal fear, as is tainting our own image and being judged by others. And, like I’ve said so many times before, poetry is all about universality. The question, then, becomes, do stakes have to be high in order to tap into universal emotion? Loss and love are powerful themes, but I would say that, inarguably, so are joy and simplicity.

We’ve also talked about in class about the ability poetry has to capture a single, split-second event, and to expand it into several pages of riveting description. Likewise, we’ve done exercises to exemplify that very practice, and prove that, however hard, such expansion can indeed be done. My question becomes, then, what happens if that single moments is meant to be happy? What if, instead of the confusion and uncertainty that tend to characterize high stakes, instead a writer wishes to epitomize the absolute certainty he or she feels within a given moment -- the absolute joy? I find myself wondering lately if this too has merit. Is there a way to throw high stakes into a poem about happiness, without necessarily expressing that you are afraid to lose it? Is certainty synonymous for amateur, and therefore unbelievable? Does one have to be a tortured soul to be artistically inclined?

There might be a lot of questions here than thoughts, but I wanted to throw them all out there and see what you guys thought. Are you equally affected by happy and sad poems? Which tend to resonate more within you, and how do you think that reflects stakes?

Poets, poets, everywhere

This semester I'm taking English 226, which is the survey of English literature 1700-present day. Basically that means a lot of propaganda and even MORE poetry. I feel like it complements Techniques of Poetry really really well; I get to see poetry from several sides, learning about the significant historic evolutions it has gone through at the same time as learning how it is shaped now. One class teaches me the forms and structures; the other teaches the purpose of those.
But it gets me thinking...does the purpose of poetry change through time? Definitions of poetry seem to change every generation or so...and accordingly, the perceived purpose changes as well. Some Neoclassical poets thought that poetry existed for the sole purpose of moral instruction, and that certainly isn't the case today!! Then there are all the huge debates about the process of writing poetry, etc, etc...so what is the "point-blank"? How do we really nail down conventions? Or do we? Do we follow the current stylistic fads, or no? Or do we even think about it at all? Which stylistic revolutions were engineered (Wordsworth for Romanticism) and which ones just happened in the process of a cultural shift (Shakespeare, perhaps...?).
Basically, I'm sitting here pondering...what exactly are we creating, shaping, moving toward the future, when we sit down and workshop each other? (Although granted...is every consensus added to a movement, or do only the Breadloaf and huge-scale workshops have an affect?)

PS- the soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer has some AWESOME music. yay iTunes!!

I also wanted to reflect on the workshops that went on last week.  It just so happened that it has also been workshop week in my fiction writing class so I got to experience two different kinds of workshops.  Firstly, in some of my non-fiction classes that I have taken we have read our pieces out loud and discussed our workshops with everyone in the class.  In my fiction class we broke up into groups of three and met the three of us and our teacher for an hour and a half block to discuss each of our work.  And here, we broke up into two groups obviously.  

I didn't find myself gravitating towards any one particular workshop, but liked each one for different reasons.  I really like discussing as a class because as Brent said you get to hear what everyone thinks not just a select few.  I also liked what we did in my fiction class because it felt like there was a lot of one on one attention with the teacher and your peers.  And I also really liked the way we did it in class because there was more ideas than say three people but it was small enough to focus closely on each person.  

What is most interesting to me in these workshops is hearing the different styles of writing that each of us has.  I also like learning about events that happened or things that are important to us.  Workshopping is always my favorite time in a writing class because it not only gives you the chance to share what you have been working on but you get to dive into the minds of the people around you.  My peers opinion is valuable to me and I hope mine is to them.  I think I  took a lot from the comments people had about my piece and as always it is nice to hear what your professor has to say about your work.  I always feel motivated after these workshops to go and write, now having this new perspective on my writing.  Can't wait for the next one! 

Workshop

I really like the workshop process for this class. I feel as though everyone's advice has been incredibly beneficial to me as a writer, and hearing my poem discussed and commented on from multiple viewpoints was far more valuable to me than some red marks on a paper. Also, knowing that my work is going to be read and examined by other people whose own work I admire forces me to really put effort into my writing. As a result, I feel as if that first draft poem was the best piece of work I have ever written and I am looking forward to revising it and, possibly more so, to writing my next piece to be workshopped. The one downside of these workshops is that I cannot be in both groups. Having read the poems from all of my classmates, I only wish that could discuss each one rather than only half of them. I am so frequently amazed by the skill evident in my peers' work; it is so interesting to see their different writing styles and I am excited to watch as all of our skills develope over the course of the semester.

Reflections

As others before me have mentioned, I too think that the workshops were very beneficial. Although, after this past week's reading of everyone's poems, I found it a bit intimidating to have mine read and to read mine aloud. I felt like everyone else had far more complex and intriguing poems, with being abstract and uniquely emotional. To be honest, as I read some of them, I felt as if I were reading them in a published poetry book! So many people had amazing lines and lyrical rhyme and meaning. Although I was shy to share mine, it was very inspiring and eye opening to read my peer's poems. These first two workshops have really made me realize that I am stuck in a certain way of writing and I really need to branch out and expand my writing style and thoughts. I feel that I am almost too straightforward with my writing and would like to gravitate towards writing more abstract pieces; along with being more original and creative with my choice of words and breaking up lines. It was certainly a bruise to the "ego" (which wasn't very large anyway) to go through this process; or rather I guess more of a wake-up call, for me to really take advantage of the inspiration around me in class that I get from my peers, who are very talented. Props to everyone for having such creative abilities and thank you!

As for the poems we had to read for class this Tuesday, I found it very interesting that they all dealt with men vs. women, the forbidden closet or room, and all referring to Bluebeard. I've never read or heard of this type of poem or topic so I look forward to understanding and discussing it/them more in class.

Somewhere In Between

After our first week of workshops, it has come to my attention how difficult it is to write a poem with a story that is both understandable, and yet is still abstract enough to be interesting. Of the poems we read in class, there was a mix of both too abstract poems, and overly simplistic poems. In those that were quite abstract, I felt completely lost. Others were quite simple and didn’t take much thought or intrigue, on the reader’s part, to see a deeper message, or to provoke any further reflection on the subject matter. These are two areas where receiving feedback from our classmates can really make a difference in the final product. As the author, it is more difficult to see that one’s poem is confusing to an outsider. What may be clear in one’s own head may not be the same in someone else’s head. Also, some topics I seemed to automatically lose interest in as I didn’t understand what the author was referring to at all, even after explanation. I guess people have very different thoughts and ideas when writing. It is also hard to see when simplicity is causing a poem to lack tension, as is the case in less abstract poems. This lack of tension can make for a very boring poem.

Bluebeard- Thoughts On This Pool Of Inspiration

After reading all the assigned poems for this week, I admit I found the fact that all of the poems/stories referenced (or even played with) the original story of Bluebeard fascinating. I was fortunate enough to actually read the entire original story in high school, which made understanding the references within the different poems easier. However, while I was reading I was left with a one large question. Why has the story of Bluebeard (and the Grimm brother’s the Fletcher’s Bird) been such a pool of an inspiration for so many poets and authors?

Certainly the story is a classic and is well known, but I personally find it hard to believe that so many writers would reference the story simply for its popularity. Since popularity alone doesn’t seem realistic, I’m led to believe that there must be something special about this story and its meaning. Perhaps it is in the story’s unique phrasing of the common message “curiosity killed the cat” or for the stories statement on the place of men and women, the embodiment of “the closet full of secrets”, etc. Of course the story could simply be referenced for the unique characters like the psychotic Bluebeard and his curious wife. In end I guess I am left to accept that it’s probably for all of these reasons that the story of Bluebeard is referenced so much and put into so many new perspectives. Overall, I look forward to going over all the poems tomorrow and seeing what all of you thought. See you all then.

reflection on first workshop experience...

I completely agree with Alex’s comment. I really loved the workshopping. Unfortunately I was sick all weekend starting with Thursday and thus missed class but at least I got to experience the first day of workshop. I really felt like we all benefitted from the workshopping and as Alex noted, looking critically at everyone else’s poetry in turn benefitted me as a critic and especially as a writer. I felt like while I may not have written the poetry I definitely gained experience from the work of my peers in the techniques I choose to explore in the future and how I will go about using different techniques. While giving feedback was much more personally beneficial than expected, getting feedback from my peers was naturally extremely beneficial as well. It was particularly interesting and reassuring to me that the comments I received from my peers were quite in line with the comments I later received from Professor Hummer. I really liked getting critiqued on my own work because it showed me what others felt was most appealing about my own work which didn’t always line up with what I personally felt was most appealing. In this aspect I think the workshop was the most useful to me because it sort of redirected me as a writer to what aspects of my poetry I should be playing into the most. All in all I truly loved the workshopping. It was wonderful to read the work of my peers (go group 2! ☺) and it was also exciting and helpful to receive feedback on my own work. Truly looking forward to the next workshop!!

Workshoping and discussion

Hearing other people’s comments and opinions during the workshop portion of the last assignment seems to me to be an invaluable part of this class. The first assignment, as well as the second, were somewhat nerve-wracking experiences. I had no idea if what I wanted to express in my poetry would come across at all. But the workshop checklist sheets and the group reading and discussion of our poems have definitely helped me recognize what my strengths are and what I need to work on. Also, hearing and workshopping others poems has also been beneficial to my own. When reading through other’s poems and marking them and evaluating them according to what we’ve learned in class and the workshop checklist guide, I can see what techniques work well, which ones don’t, and how to manipulate tension. So far, I have found that the most important part in writing poetry to me is finding a good subject; one that I’m interested in and/or feel somewhat passionate about. I’ve also found it helpful to pick topics that are less personal to me. Creating characters and stories that deal with issues one has experienced in their own life can lessen the anxiety that can come with writing about something personal. I usually try to distance my involvement in what I’m exploring in order to see things from a more objective point of view.

General

I guess like everybody, I've found the preparation for the workshop fascinating. Its an amazing way to reflect on one's own work, recognizing the similarities and differences in the work of others. Reading the poetry of my classmates, I feel like whether their work is biographical or pure fiction, it gives a little insight into the general system and flow of their thoughts, and even their perspective on the world. Critiquing is hard!! Some of the works are so completely different from my style that I don't really know where to begin, what with the style, rhythm, and mechanics.

Basically, some of the works I have very little reference upon which to ground them, and therefore am lost when it comes to judging and recommending changes. Psychologically, I like all the poems I've read- and agree totally with what others are saying, that the point of any poem is really just to get your reader to think about it in depth, whatever each person uses to enforce the contemplation. Its fun reading each piece, getting to the end, and thinking "holy.....where did THAT come from??". The levels of creativity are awesome, especially because, as far as I can tell, each of us have very different types of creativity. And now I'm just rambling. Am I making any kind of sense?


That said earlier (thank god, I figured out how to get my post back!!); I've never been someone who spends a lot of time pre-determining mechanics for my poetry, and my later alterations are generally minimal or non-existent. Workshopping today helped me a lot, and I'm really excited about the changes I was able to make to my poem based on the feedback from the group! Thank you for your advice!!

First Workshopping Session

Although this is the first writing course I’ve taken here at SLU, I did take a lot of Creative Writing classes in high-school, and, although I was originally incredibly nervous to share work that was personal to me, workshopping quickly became my very favorite part of class. Yes, sometimes it’s hard to share poems that you care about, whether they are describing a person, place, moment in your life, or that which is most likely --all three wrapped up into one.

We’ve talked in class about how work-shopping time is not “therapy,” but, the matter of the fact is, if we didn’t care about the topics we were writing about they wouldn’t make for very good poems. Whether we are invested in the moments we write about because they have made us happy, incredibly sad, or are reminiscent of a time when we felt completely uncertain, they were chosen for a reason – because they in some way inspired us. It is inevitably scary to open yourself up to criticism not only about a “piece” you wrote, but about a portion of your life, which, a biological component I would argue that, all poems contain in some form. I have a theory that even writers who claim to focus strictly on “fiction” draw on biographical components to make their works stronger. Like any artist, writers draw inspiration from the world as they have come to know it, and therefore inarguably incorporate parts of their lives into their work. And, the fact of the matter is letting others read your stuff – especially the first time -- can be a really scary thing.

Even so, as time goes on, I’m sure, like in the writing classes I took in high-school, it will become a much more enjoyable experience than terrifying one. I found myself becoming closer to the people in my sophomore-year Creative Non-fiction class, because we started to learn. We learned about each other, not only as writers, but as people – and we became knowledgeable not only about the small moments in each others’ lives, but what about those moments inspired each of us to pick up a pen. Work-shopping, like poetry in general, is an opportunity to learn how someone else perceives the world, and what makes that perception uniquely theirs. It gives you a chance to understand how, as an individual, someone epistemologically “knows.”

I also think that somewhere along the line, a natural separation happens between critiquing each others’ memories and critiquing how we express those memories with words. Instead of picking apart someone’s life, you are learning to help them express that life more articulately – which I think is the really cool part about workshops.

All that being said, I can’t wait for today’s class!

Workshop

I've only taken one other writing course here at SLU and it was one where we had to peer workshop each others written work. As others have mentioned, I'm a little nervous to have my peers critique my work. For the most part I write poetry for myself and therefore I am my own critic. Lots of times my poems are never truly finished, they are pieces that I constantly come back to and revise or add on to. Usually my writings reflect what I am thinking or feeling and therefore I find it hard for someone else to read or especially critique my writing. However, I feel that these workshops will help me to view my writings in a different light and maybe help me to better express what I am trying to write. I did enjoy hearing others opinions of my short stories in my last writing course and so I am hoping I will have a similar experience here. It is just that I am a decently private person when it comes to my poetry, but maybe this course will be a good thing and help me come out of my shell a bit more. I am curious to see and hear what people think of my writing and if it touches anyone in a specific way.

I think the workshopping aspect of all of my writing classes at SLU have been my favorite. Not only do I love sharing what I have written (even when it is not my favorite piece) but I love listening to what my peers have done. Talking and verbally sharing what we are getting from the reading is the best way to do it. I think it is not only an eye-opening experience for the writer, but also the readers. Whenever my peers have read my work in the past and been confused with something that was written it is very eye-opening as a writer. Sometimes what we write, and what we think makes perfect sense is not the same for the person reading it. Being able to open your reader up to the way your mind works and your own train of thought is one of the most important part of writing and perhaps the hardest. If we can write something that we feel is beautiful and very symbolic, but no one else gets it, then this piece of writing has failed to do what we hoped: share the inner workings of our mind.
Besides making sure that we have images and connections that are recognizable to everyone, what is also wonderful about workshops is that it is place to collect ideas about how to expand your initial ideas! I love hearing someone else's idea on how to expand one particular section and then hear a completely different suggestion from another peer. What is best about the many different perspectives we have is that we get to pick the advice we take or leave. It is sometimes overwhelming to get all the advice at once, but I think just taking it all in and later going through it is a valuable skill to learn.
In short, I have had a good time reading the poems from my group for today and I am excited to see what other people have come up with as suggestions and share my own thoughts. I am also excited to see what people have to say about my poem on Thursday!

First Poetry Workshop

At first, I was not overthrilled about this assignment, largely because no one has ever read any of the poetry I have written, but after I began writing, it became easier and easier for me. Then I looked at the poems that some of my other classmates had come up with and began to really look forward to Tuesday's class. I still don't really know how I feel about the critique aspect of tomorrow's class, though. It's not that I don't value criticism, I actually enjoy hearing other people's viewpoints on what I have written, but I have never actually done a revision of any of my work, whether it be a school assignment or a personal writing. I have always tried to apply criticism in future pieces, but I have always either kept what I had or scrapped it and started fresh with those new ideas in mind. Thinking about it now, I might be starting to look forward to the revision process. Another thing I find a bit daunting about the upcoming class period, however, is criticising the work of others. In some cases, ideas for possible improvement or new ideas and perspectives come to me as I read the poems, but for the most part, I find my fellow classmates to be so impressive that I really do have to think about how something like that can be improved when I frequently doubt whether I could do as well myself. I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

Inspiration, New Ideas, and Workshop

I must admit as I began preparing for Tuesday’s workshops, read through my peers poems, I was both surprised and inspired by what I read. As Kathleen mentioned, it is incredible how given the same assignment so many of us expressed our ideas, feelings and visuals within our poetry in different ways. In truth it’s been a while since I have had to peer edit someone else’s poetry, but doing so has reminded me of one the most freeing aspects of the poetry. And that aspect of poetry is its unlimited variations and formats.
In way, the poems I work shopped seem to refresh me and inspire me, by re-instilling the idea that poetry doesn’t have to be one thing, that it doesn’t have to be written the same way over and over. Already just by seeing and reading what my peers had done with their poetry in structure, diction, and other literary techniques has given me a brand new slew of ideas for how I can express my poetry and thoughts in the future.
Ultimately, I can’t wait for workshops tomorrow; I greatly look forward to seeing what tips and advice my peers can give me on my own poetry, as well as how they interpreted it. But most of all I look forward to having a larger group conversation on other people’s poetry, and seeing how all our ideas, opinions, and inspirations can coreless into greater understanding of the art of writing and reading poetry.

Inspiration & Workshop on my mind...

After reading both the published poems assigned for class and the poems of my classmates, I have come to hold an even greater appreciation for different writing styles. It’s so fascinating to dive into the thoughts and feelings of another individual, and to be able to understand what is going through his or her mind. Although I appreciate the highly structured poetry of Shakespeare and more traditional poets, I absolutely love the more contemporary poetry we have been assigned in the 21st Century Poets book. D.A. Powell, in particular, writes with such elegance and humor, but his choice of words is very obscure and unconventional. Because of this unique style, I feel a diverse audience can appreciate Powell’s poems and come to a set of different conclusions about what message the poem is conveying to them.

I am very eager to learn about the sources of inspiration my classmates incorporate into their poetry. Workshopping each other’s poems will certainly be a learning experience for all of us, both in terms of analyzing poetry and creating it. I hope to gain more insight into the world we live in, based on every individual’s personal, unique perspective that shines through his or her work. It will also be interesting to hear my workshop group’s thoughts on my own poetry—what meaning they got from reading it, feelings that were evoked through reading, and most importantly, suggestions and feedback that I can use to improve my writing. I believe that our class is a great group—everyone seems very passionate about the art of poetry and I’m happy that we are confident in sharing our thoughts about each poem assigned for class. The willingness to be open with who we are as individuals and writers is so essential to the success of workshop, and I feel that the more open and honest we are, the better writer each of us can become. Our first workshop is tomorrow, so let’s make it an awesome experience!

looking forward to the workshop I suppose...

I don't know about anyone else but I'm really excited for the workshopping on Tuesday! So far I've really been interested in reading the work of my peers. It is SO interesting to me that given the same assignment we all could come up with such a variety of outcomes. I'm looking forward to also seeing the variety of responses that everyone will have to each others' work come Tuesday. I have such a fresh appreciation for everyone's creativity that I'm almost overwhelmed. I love how everyone sees poetry in different things and I hope that as I continue to write, and really as I continue to read the work of others, I learn to look for poetry in places that I wouldn't normally see it.

On a somewhat different note and in some ways in response to Sam’s post, I also wanted to add that I really like the set up of the class discussion. I enjoy how open it is as we aim to discover together the works of art that we are reading. It really makes you believe in the phrase “two heads are better than one”. I really believe that the more we dissect the poetry that we read as a class and try to understand the way that we all see it, the better of an understanding each one of us gets of the poetry. This all really leads back to me looking forward to the workshopping on Tuesday because I’m hoping that the way that we effectively understand and analyze the poetry of others will translate to the way we can understand and analyze our own poetry. I’m looking forward to this as it seems like a promising way to get great insight on our strengths and weaknesses as writers.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in class Tuesday! J

P.S. Sorry this post was so scattered!

I Agree!!

I agree with Dylan about reading other peers poems. It's exciting to know that were all in the same boat; learning, writing and growing. I know that I am not a great writer...but I feel as if I am getting better, just writing down my thoughts and trying to express myself in different ways than ever before. I realize that using the techniques are hard and makes putting down my thoughts harder and more complex but it is interesting to try and work with different ones. I made some rhyme, used humor, or just put down a train of thought. 

I like how in class we can discuss and be open with each other about our ideas then learn techniques to strengthen our arguments and ideas. I hope to keep learning new ways to write poems because I feel as if it helps me understand the poems we read in class together. I want to express how much I enjoy when people participate in class. It's super cool to hear other peoples opinions and thoughts on how poets write or how we write. I can't wait for the feedback, but don't judge me too hard this is my first poetry class!!

1st Workshop!

I found it very enjoyable reading my classmates’ creations for workshop this week. It is amazing how everyone has a different style and approach to writing, as well as different inspirations and goals. I suppose this makes sense, as we are each individuals. This, to me, is what makes poetry so unique and free. One can write a deep, dramatic piece that touches others emotionally, or one can write a light, silly, humorous poem that provides the reader with a different, yet equally strong, emotion.

Another discovery I have made is how I seem to be more drawn to poems written in styles that are unlike my own. This is not what I expected myself to enjoy. I am intrigued by what and from where others find their inspiration. I have already read classmates’ poems with plots and meanings I would never think of writing myself. Perhaps I could learn to look beyond the topics that I naturally tend to write about, such as love, friendship or sports, and use my other passions or pain in life to write poems. I really enjoyed poems that were centered on a specific moment in time or emotion, but that could spread for many lines, without getting boring or changing the topic. I think slowing time down is quite a challenge and a form of art that, when done well, can be quite powerful and beautiful.

Wow....this is awkward, I have no idea why my post was in giant font.  But, I guess you can't miss it now. 

honest words

I have really enjoyed class so far.  Getting a chance to hear what other people thought of the poems we have read for the day as well as share my own thoughts has been great.  I only wish we had enough time to talk about them all!

         The poem that I have been thinking about the most was Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130".  Like we said in class, I really admired his ability to step outside of the typically idealization or glorification of ones lover.  His ability to humanize his lover and not only admit to her imperfections, but also admit to loving her imperfections, I thought to be so provocative and intriguing.  

         I am not going to lie; I have a hard time being sucked into 'mushy-gushy' stuff.  I find myself walking away from movies that become predictable with full-circle corniness and I even scold my own boyfriend for being too sweet sometimes.  Though I can admit to falling a bit weak in the knees when he says something that might come out of a Hallmark card, sadly enough what I find myself craving even more is when he picks on my little imperfections or idiosyncrasies.  What gets me instead of when of the sappy lines, is when he laughs at me and my silly ways yet still chooses to love me.  

         Because of my almost detest of this corny behavior/language, I find myself at times a bit it wary of poetry, or at least stereotypical "love poems".  Don't get me wrong, I adore words, and I admire any writers' ability to use them to 'paint a picture' so to speak.  Love poems can sometimes be wonderful in their own way I am sure.  However, what I felt myself so drawn to in Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130" was its honesty.  His honesty, for that matter, not just of his lover's physical and emotional attributes, but of the characteristics and irrationality of love.  

         Poetry, and writing in general for that matter, that makes you stop and say, “Yeah! That is so true!” is what grabs my attention the most. Writing that is honest, and you can relate to your own experiences on some level, but also make you see things in a new way are best to me.  So for these reasons and more, I fell for Shakespeare’s piece and also Harryette Mullen’s poems this week.  

poetry to me

As multiple people have mentioned before, poetry is a release and it is something that I love to do. I have never been the best writer in my classes for essays or shorts stories. I have struggled at times with how to construct proper essays and write what the teacher is looking for. However, I feel that poetry is a different type of writing and it has been one that has allowed me to express myself, in my own way. As a little girl and even today, I like to sometimes just shut myself up in my room, take out a notebook and fill the pages with how I am feeling, what I am thinking or what is going on around me. It is a release and escape for me to be able to just let the words flow onto a piece of paper. It is there that I can express and say/write certain things that I may not be able to express vocally, but getting it down on paper and outside of me in some aspect, helps me understand whatever it is I'm trying to convey or it helps me deal with the thought, emotion or issue. What I love about poetry is that there are no true rules. Poetry could be like one of the pieces we read last week, where it is only two or three lines, or poetry could be pages long. Poetry can also rhyme or be metaphoric, or it can be straightforward. For me, writing poetry has been therapeutic and a way for me deal with my emotions. I used to write just for me, as an escape, but as I write more and more I am starting to find myself writing poetry and lyrics for others, realizing that my poetry can not only be enjoyable to and for me, but also for others. I think this class will help me in growing this new found knowledge and make my experience of writing more enjoyable, for me as the writer and for anyone who wants to be the audience (or so I hope).

My History with Poetry

Poetry to me is both an extremely complex and delicately simple thing. I have loved writing, reading, and learning about poetry since the 8th grade when I first studied it. I remember being immediately grasped by two things of poetry. One, the beauty and sincerity in which authors wrote in its format and two the freedom poetry offered. I admit the idea that poetry was a form of writing without rules (even though that isn’t completely true) was highly enticing to the grammar poor 8th grade version of me.

But just like Madeleine and Sam when I started writing poetry it was entirely for personal reasons. The first poem I ever wrote was written after I was rejected by a crush of mine at an 8th grade dance. When I got home after that event, I remembered what I had learned and read about poetry and decided that I wanted to write about how I felt that night. Since then I have been hooked on writing poetry not only for personal releases, capturing moments in my life, but also as an expression of my heart and soul and how I see the world.

While there can be no doubt that all my poetry is personal on one level or another, I still consider it my art. I look forward to this class and the rest of the semester to help me improve my art, my poetry, and the techniques I use to connect my heart, mind, and vision to my readers.

D.A. Powell

My favorite poem out of those we have read, by a landslide, is [Darling can you kill me: with your mickeymouse pillows]. I firmly believe that all good writing, including good poetry, has universal themes – emotions that the reader can tap into and feel for themselves, because they are part of the human condition. Everyone knows what it is like to be lonely, to experience unrequited love or heartbreak in some way, and yes, most have had periods of ecstatic joy. These are things that, as humans, we have thought about, lived through; they are both what inspire us to get up in the morning, and what sometimes makes it hard to do so. And they are, in my experience, incontestably what inspires us to put words on paper.

I at least have thought about not wanting to die sickly, which is what I think D.A. Powell’s poem is about. I’ve said more times than I can count that I’d rather die young than be crippled at 80, because life is worthwhile, but only when maintaining its zest and quality. That being said, there is a part of me to which Powell’s piece speaks directly. I also really love how he manages to make a serious topic funny, by using words like “mickeymouse pillows” and asking to be killed with an “exhaust pipe and hose”, “bopped on the noggin.” Only a great writer can simultaneously express a genuine concern and a genuine sense of humor; this takes a very strong command of language, and is wonderful when achieved, because it too, reflects human nature, as I think we often try to laugh about the hard stuff.

Poetry's Appeal

I envy Sam and Madeleine a little for the effect that poetry has on them. I have never felt that type of release from writing poetry, but perhaps that is something that I will be able to experience over the course of this semester. I do, however, feel that catharsis whenever I write shor stories. Maybe that is something I should look into.

But to me, reading poetry delivers a sense of awe and wonder. I often feel almost inspired by its perfection. It is like watching an olympic swimmer or a professional gymnast: I can do nothing but replay the performance again and again wondering how something like that can be done. My favorite poems leave me asking myself how any person could invent something so beautiful out of thin air.

I guess my ultimate goal, not my goal for this semester but for my life as a poet, is to be able to create that beauty out of nothing and be able to make someone else feel that way when they read my poetry. Unfortunately, I have a tendancy to try and mimic those things I admire in other poets rather than find my own voice. This is a habbit I would like to stray away from over the course of the next few weeks and months taking english 242.

What it is...and more!

I agree that poetry is all of those things as well. When i was little, I used to write poems when I couldn't sleep. I remember one night lying awake in my friends’ room and wrote four poems on the lights on her ceiling. Ever since then, no matter if it was meaningful or not, poems have been my way of talking, even when I couldn't. I think it helped me express who I was and what I was feeling. One of my favorite things to do is read my poems from years ago. It is funny how my feelings come back and I sometimes remember that specific moment, and I feel like poetry has that power, no matter if it was a story or just three sentences about a light. I honestly miss poetry just as an outlet, that’s why I am so excited about taking this class.

 

During this class so far, I have enjoyed the discussions and small debates on the poems we have read. I am getting more into this class than any of my other classes, even though I do get frustrated because I know I am not that great at poetry even though I have been writing for a while. I am excited to see how far I can push myself this year.

What is poetry to me?

Poetry is freeing. It releases negativity from the mind of the writer, piecing that source of emotional energy into a plethora of harmonious words. A poem is a tonic for the soul—it can invoke an array of memories, either by writing it or reading it. The poet’s artistic masterpiece is the collaboration between written and spoken word—nothing is stronger than the words of the poet; the force of flowing words is unstoppable. Poetry is the gateway to a person’s conscience. Once that gate is opened, the pathway continues to grow longer and longer, deeper into the lived experiences and surreal dreams of the individual. It is an art, and I find it absolutely incredible to read—I can almost sense their passion existing in the ink resting in the shape of words on the paper of the collections I read. Poetry is the way I express my thoughts and experiences that lie shrouded in the mist of dawn, waiting for the sun to rouse them from their slumber inside me. Poetry is how I can remember things. It allows me to focus on the most intricate details of a moment or a feeling. Poetry is like the carbon molecule: it’s essential to life. It is essential to living. Living is essential to poetry.

Response to Dylan... and my own thoughts

I agree Dylan... I really feel like the class discussion on the Dorothy Parker poem was extremely constructive for all of us. It's extremely interesting to be able to find a deeper understanding through the way other people understand things which I guess is what poetry is all about anyway. I really loved Parker's Poem and the way she pushes the envelope in her delivery. As we said in class.... "very sex and the city".

Something else that I've been thinking a lot after all of the reading we have been doing is the difference between contemporary and classic poetry. I really have barely any experience with truly contemporary poetry but the more we read the more interesting it is. Although it is a little difficult to get used to, especially after having only read (a lot of) classic poetry, reading contemporary poetry has been an extremely refreshing experience. Not only do I enjoy feeling how different it is than the classic poetry we're reading but I also enjoy the familiar undertones that remind me of the classics. I think that this undertone is less about the actual poetry itself and more about the way it makes me feel. I suppose I'm learning that there is somewhat of a universal feel of poetry that I get regardless of type of poem. As we've talked about (and blogged about) good poetry takes you outside of yourself and I think that is why I am still enjoying the contemporary poetry... regardless of how different it is from the other types of poetry that I've loved in the past it takes me outside of myself and that is what I love about it.

Was wondering if anyone had any sort of similar experience?

Pondering...

I was intrigued by a poem we read in class on Thursday. Our class discussion about Dorothy Parker's piece 'One Perfect Rose' seemed to propose an interesting dilemma. Students had conflicting ideas regarding what was the narrator's true desire. For example, I was convinced that the speaker was sharing her enjoyment when she receives roses and feels that materialistic gifts are not pure. Her descriptive language had a positive, upbeat feel with words like 'tenderly his messenger,' 'deep-hearted, pure' and 'love long.' Only in the last stanza does any disappointment appear, and even then, she seemed to be speaking for the audience who can't understand why she would want a rose, and not for herself. However, after the class shared their takes on the poem, I saw the other view of the narrator's desire for more expensive, permanent gifts. This brings up an important aspect of poetry. That is, its ability to be interpreted in many ways. A poet writes with a purpose, but I believe words can be used and read in different meanings. When writing, one can keep this in mind and use it to create poems with multiple purposes and meanings. One can add depth and allow for greater discussions when one writes with a slight bit of ambiguousness, and openness.

Blog on Assignment 1: Imagery

I found the last assignment (write two poems strictly with imagery) to be very interesting, almost fun. I found that I could use imagery alone to give and impression, a feeling, or even set up larger theme, something I didn't realize could be done before this assignment. It seemed almost haiku-ish, very to the point, capturing the essentials. Putting limitations on poetry seemed a little counterintuitive to the whole poetry writing process at first, but after a while it actually seemed to help make my poetry better. I had to choose which words were the best, most accurate means of describing what I had in mind. The fact that we couldn't describe emotions or ideas made me use more creative and effective means of communication. By avoiding descriptions of emotion, and ideas, I was able to make my poetry stand out more and to better draw interest in my poems. I was also able to avoid descriptive clichés that would keep my poems from being my own personal take on events. Overall I thought it was a great assignment, which showed me that forming rules and restrictions on poetry can help one learn what it is really all about; originality.

Hmmmm....

so I’ve been thinking. about different kinds of poetry. not so much about cathartic poetry versus…legit poetry, but more about voluntary versus involuntary poetry. quick definition: cathartic poetry is being upset and writing to feel better about it. we know this. involuntary poetry, on the other hand, is when something happens, or you see something, or you even think of something, and you just know that you have to write about it, right that second. it is easy and simple in the same way that breathing is, or even blood circulation. the poetry flows through your hand onto the page the same way blood flows through veins- an unconscious, organic effort. so, voluntary poetry. who hasn’t tried to completely control their breathing? breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out…but after about a minute, it gets really boring because it is SO FREAKING TEDIOUS. voluntary poetry, the conscious decision to sit down and write, without the inspired impulse to do so isn’t quite as tedious as trying to control your breathing, but it is harder than one of those moments when you’re seized with inspiration. yes?

so who knows, maybe I’m just the really naïve young semi-poet. maybe once I learn specific genres and structures of poetry that’ll change, since a sonnet (for example) seems kind of like putting a puzzle together. all the pieces have to fit just so, otherwise it won’t work, but hopefully the pieces add up to an actual coherent picture. then again…puzzles can be fun, but they still are tedious.
just pondering.

first post

What’s up class? I’m Joe, a sophomore… I like to write rhymes.
Im studying psychology right now and I like it because I like learning about the deepest intricacies of the human mind, the ever flowing source of inspirational creativity. I suppose that Hannibal Lecter stuff is pretty cool too, I mean who wouldn’t like to be able to manipulate thoughts and emotions like that?
I’m from Syracuse, New York. Its pretty chill there… I’ve lived there for all of my life so I’m used to the nasty winters that makes Central New York one of the snowiest places on Earth.
Aside from writing, I like making hip hop beats and playing unorthodox sports like ping pong and pickle ball. I love listening to music, all genres, and I like being in the company of my friends when I’m not stressing over school. I used to play football at SLU but I retired.
I’ve had both good and bad experiences getting feedback on my work. I don’t take very well to criticism so often times I feel like no feedback is good feedback, but I suppose I’ve received some good feedback too. The only positive specific I remember is my FYP professor complimenting me on how creative my work was.
Nas is without a doubt the best lyricist in hip-hop. His wordplay and complex rhymes schemes makes him hands down the most clever poet with a mic and a drum loop. Take his album Illmatic for example, regarded by many as the best rap album of all time. He’s famous for saying “I never sleep, cuz sleep is the cousin of death”. Nobody really knows what that means but its aesthetically pleasing to the ear. He is my biggest influence.
What’s good about good poetry? I like when good poetry just flows, when the sequence of words just sounds good even if its nonsensical . What’s good is when you hear a poem and it invokes a certain emotion in you or paints a scene in your head of something specific that would otherwise be unattainable if it were described non-poetically.
What do I hope to learn in this class? I hope to learn to write better poems… Sike. I want to learn what makes a good poem a good poem, what makes a bad poem a bad poem, or even if there is such a thing as a bad poem. I hope to get an enriched education in the art of poetry.

YO class. Cool Courtney here, checking in to let you know a little about myself...

I am a senior English-writing major with an educational studies minor and am finally getting around to a poetry class here at SLU.  Coming into my college career I initially intended to major in Psychology mostly because I love to think about the way people think.  What I realized as I continued in my career here however was that I also love to read and write about the way we think, therefore I pursued my English major.  Being able to effectively communicate with people is invaluable and a skill, which I think, can always be improved. What amazes me most with each new English course I take is how many different styles and ways there are to share our thoughts.  I also love the way language twists and rolls off every individual tongue a bit different.  What continuously amazes me about our language and the human race for that matter is that every bit of life we see, we see it differently.  Our role as writers is to find a way to let people into the way our mind twists and turns.  That journey, that constant urge to find a common ground with the people around me, is what pushed me into an English major and in short is why I enjoy it so much.

On another note, I was born in Deerfield Massachusetts and lived in good ol’ Western Mass for the first half of my childhood.  I lived in a dark stained ‘saltbox’ with forest green trim and a steep, long winding gravel driveway, which always gave us trouble in the winter.  My parents drove my brother and I to school everyday in an embarrassingly clunky Ford truck that we bought from family friends for one dollar.  Both my mom and dad taught at the small private school in town.

            Deerfield, I believe, was the perfect place to explore the first ten years of my life.  The woods that surrounded our house kept me busy and the stream down the hill to the left of my house was my sanctuary.  My mom always said I was the best child, constantly entertaining and engulfing myself with my games.  I was either outside exploring the dirt and life around me, or inside my room quietly assembling my stuffed animals in front of my easel in order to teach them that day’s lesson.   Either way, life was good in Deerfield until my parents up and moved us to the other side of the state and I was placed in the middle of suburbia.  My next home was in Newton Massachusetts, which was much different from the outdoor-sy life of Deerfield, but I love it nonetheless.  Suburbia and the close proximity to Boston was a prime location for my teen years. 

            Aside from writing, I love to be active and competitive.  I have been able to continue my athletic career throughout college as both a member of the women’s soccer and lacrosse teams here at SLU.  Besides ballin’ out on the field, I also love to sing in the Singing Sinners (the women’s acapella group on campus).  

            In terms of getting feedback on my writing, I can only remember good experiences.  I love to read my pieces aloud and love hearing feedback, negative or positive.   I have taken creative non-fiction and fiction at both levels and this is my first poetry class so I am excited to see what comes of it.  It is a genre that I have become more intrigued with lately however don’t feel as though I have much grounding in the ‘classics’ per say.  I admire how poets have the ability to pick and mold words in such a delicate and deliberate way to fit exactly what they have intended to share.  I think the simplicity of it’s appearance and the complexity of its’ meaning is my favorite part about poetry.

            When I think back to my first experience with poetry I think of Langston Hughes’ “Dreams” because it was the first poem I had to memorize and recite in front of a class:

            Hold fast to dreams

            For if dreams die

            Life is a broken-winged bird

            That cannot fly.

            Hold fast to dreams

            For when dreams go

            Life is a barren field

            Frozen with snow.

           

            I admire many of Langson’s poems, but this one specifically because of the brevity and simplicity to the eye and the meaningful message.  I also admire the way the poem flows and rhymes in an almost nonchalant way, which slides right off your tongue. 

            What I look forward to the most in this class is not just the opportunity to play with my own style as a poet but to learn from the best.  I look forward to reading and reading and reading the poems that have come before me and talking about them.  I guess that is why I am an English major though, right? J

First Blog- Tech. of Poetry

Hi poetry peers! My name is Tory Ault and I am a junior here at SLU. This past Spring I declared as a Psychology major and Sociology minor. I've always found myself to be fascinated by people and what makes them different and have had a constant desire to help people; therefore I found it only natural once I got to college to gravitate towards both academic subjects. It intrigues me to find out how society works and the different ways our brains operate. I personally suffer from ADD and depression, so learning more about how my brain psychologically works and deals with these two issues, has also been a major attraction for me to the Psychology major.
I am from Stratford, CT. Most people don't know where that is or have ever heard of it, but it is in Fairfield County, bordered by Bridgeport and Shelton, CT and ten minutes away from Fairfield, CT (which more people recognize). Stratford is a pretty average, small town and not very exciting. We have the usual teenagers who like to hangout by the 7-Eleven at night and the more elderly crowd who are the only ones present at our Thursday evening orchestra concerts at 7pm. We do however have a diverse community which I like. This is largely because we border Bridgeport who has a large population of Blacks and Hispanics. Therefore, going to public school all my life, I have always been surrounded by my peer's numbers being half Black or Hispanic and half White; which is pretty different than here on campus. My town is nice and a good place to grow-up as a kid, however, I can't see myself there forever.
Aside from writing poems and lyrics, I enjoy playing sports. Ever since I was 3 years old, I've been involved in sports, whether it is gymnastics, softball, soccer, basketball, tennis, or track. I love being active and physical, getting the adrenaline pumping and creating those endorphins. As of right now, my main activities include working out and running, and playing tennis here at SLU. Besides sports, my interests include photography, the beach, hiking, animals and socializing with friends. I like to think I'm a very open-minded person and therefore, I am always looking for new experiences and new people to try them with.
As other people have mentioned in their blogs, I too have had both good and bad experiences with getting feedback on my work. I can think of a dozen for both sides, but I also think feedback is part of the process and is not something I necessarily allow to get to me. Over the years I have certainly had my fair share of teachers tell me that I need to work on my writing skills, with changing tenses or organization of the paper, ect. These are things that I consider and always check now as I write, and am actually grateful for the constructive criticism because I know my writing is never perfect and I am always looking to improve.
To be honest I have read a number of poems over the years, in and out of school. However, there are not many specific poets that I have come across that have stood out to me, it's sad I know. The names that do come to mind are Whitman, Angelou, Frost and Cummings. Most of the poems I have actually read by these poets, however, I must admit that some of the poems I enjoy from them are actually quoted in movies I've seen, like Whitman and Cummings. As mentioned by another peer, one of my favorites from Cummings is "Carry your with me", read in the movie, In Her Shoes, which also reminds me of my relationship with my sister.
I think one of the most important parts for me, in considering good poetry, is whether or not it captivates me. Poetry for me is a release and an escape; therefore I like reading poetry that allows me to feel what the writer is feeling or see what he/she is describing. Good poetry is poetry that touches my heart and soul and something that I could read over and over, and still get the same goosebumps or emotions as I did the first time reading it.
I'm hoping to learn how to write poetry that doesn't necessarily rhyme but is still captivating and meaningful. I'm also hoping to learn from this calss, how to write outside of my emotions, maybe more about my surroundings, other people or the world. When I write I feel I am stuck in one dimension or category, and I would like to learn and be challenged to think outside the box and learn the different techniques of poetry.
- Tory

I plan on double-majoring in chemistry and math, but I would also like to, if possible, minor in English. Chemistry has always fascinated me which is why I plan on making that my focus while attending St Lawrence, but math comes easily to me, so in a way, I am just following the path of least resistance. My feelings toward english are ambivalent, so I think it will be good for me to spend some time on the subject, at least until I become more decided. I am from California and have spent the vast majority of my life either hiking in the mountains or swimming at the beach, so New York is an interesting change for me. I played water polo throughout high school but joined the Saint Lawrence Crew Team upon arriving on campus last year. I also ran cross country, briefly, and was on the swim team as well. Chess is another passion of mine: during long runs, I would play games in my head with a friend of mine who was also on the cross country team. Boxing and grappling are also hobbies that I enjoy devoting time to whenever I am home in California. Sports have always been a significant part of my life and I do not forsee that changing in the near or distant future. I don't really have any experience with feedback on my writing because I have never before been graded on anything other than essays, a type of writing to which I am not at all partial and, therefore, have no feelings toward with regard to feedback. I really admire Edgar Allen Poe's work, particularly because he manages to write with such elevated diction without coming across as pedantic, although that applies to his stories more than his poetry. He also manages to conclude his poems, especially The Raven and Annabell Lee, with such distinction that the last few lines are remembered long after the poem's bulk has been forgotten. I also admire Leonard Cohen for the lyrics in his songs. The words, coupled with his deep voice, eclipse the melody of his music which makes him, in my opinion, more poet than musician. To me, what makes poetry so admirable is the fact that each word has meaning. There is a perfection to it, even when it is chaotic or nonsensical. One of my favorite poems that exemplifies this is The Jabberwalky by Lewis Carol. When I have tried to write poetry in the past, I have felt that my poems were a bit monochromatic, so I hope to add diversity, in both technique and content, to my writing. Hopefully, with the help of this course, I will be able to do just that.