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.