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A Poet's Plea
| Critical Analysis #1 |
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A Poet's Plea |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA 
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A Poet's Plea (Perhaps to me?) Neo-poets often shun their fathers' forms embraced of old Or if they don't their efforts tend to lavish them with tin not gold. Acrostic words for instance shouldn't fall as nimble lightning streaks While horizontal diction bungles hopelessly the way it speaks Kecking in poetic style because it feigns to have no choice, Weaving with a ghastly scrawl and bellowing with soured voice. A poem must be worthy of its name though scheme is veiled therein. Really such a sacrifice of grace for form approaches sin. Does classic genre suffer as of late for greenly slipshod tries? Love the honors of your pen and if you bleed its ink be wise! Intend to write adeptly that a good respect might be restored. Never bow to modern trends by which the poet's page is gored. End the myth which deems all verse deserving to be loved and read. Show the world by sterling skill, good poetry is far from dead! ! SDJ 6/2000 |
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| © Copyright 2000 Stephen Douglas Jones - All Rights Reserved | |||
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warmhrt Senior Member
since 1999-12-18
Posts 1563 |
Stephano, Nice work, poet, though I disagree with what it says. I write mainly free verse, a neo-poet, as the poem says, but I also enjoy attempting to write in classic forms. Personally, I also prefer reading free verse, as it does allow for a much wider range of emotion, imagery, etc. due to the absence of the restrictions of structure. Your work here has a good meter, flows well, good word choices, and it is thought-provoking. The classic form worked very well here. But I don't think that my own, or any one else's free verse "approaches sin". Well.....maybe some, along with some classic verse also. LOL I very much enjoyed the read, Kris the poet's pen...gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name ~ Shakespeare |
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Not A Poet Member Elite
since 1999-11-03
Posts 3885Oklahoma, USA |
Hello Steph, And welcome to CA. You know, of course, that Kris is right. You are sure to be lambasted for such a stance against free verse (at least it will be seen as such). I thought your poem was well written but I write almost exclusively rhyming and structured stuff. Your last lines really say it all though, good poetry is very much alive. For analysis, the only problem I had with your poem was possibly the long lines. Lines of 8 feet can be cumbersome to read. You might consider breaking yours to read as 4 + 4 instead, something like this: "Neo-poets often shun Their fathers' forms embraced of old Or if they don't their efforts tend To lavish them with tin not gold." I don't know if that is better but it seems easier to follow. Of course, this is JMHO, so take it for what it's worth. Anyway, a good read and I look forward to much more from you. Thanks, Pete |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
Warmhrt, This is by no means an attack on free verse. I believe free verse can be superb poetry (though alot of it isn't). I have seen alot of "free" verse out there which is not free of things like impropriety, incoherence, and general sloppiness, but is free in every other regard. And often many will attack the use of forms as a restraining and suffocating practice. Sometimes I just wonder if the lack of ability to write effective metrical verse lies at the back of this attitude (in certain people- not all). I believe that the very tension between form and expression, the pull and tug is the very thing that art is about. But anyway, We could go on and on about philosophy. But... This poem didn't refer so much to that as it did the idea of writing poetical forms badly. Free verse poetry is not even mentioned! I guess I was saying that we should do these traditions honor, not by bowing unquestionably to their percieved forbiddings but by writing with a consciousness of their value. Then we can add to their glorious histories and forge onward. Most forms were build-ons from previous methods. I love that good poets are experimental to the Nth degree. So to sum it all up, If writing in a form do it well, and do it honorably. Don't botch it and certainly don't attack it as worthless. But I'm glad my poem touched a nerve with people to get 'em thinking. I didn't want just "Oh that's beautiful" responses. I thank you for commenting, and please understand, I really don't disagree with you as diametrically opposed. I'm just hitting from a different angle if you know what I mean. To Not a Poet, I appreciate your response as well. As to the shorter line suggestion, I see your point but this poem is an ACROSTIC. (No that extra excalmation mark wasn't an accident!) If I scythed the lines in half, it would cease to be one! I didn't want to say "Hey this is an acrostic. I prefer the more pleasurable and subtle discovery of the reader (and there were clues in there!). But since you made the suggestion I had to tell you why it wasn't viable for this poem. Sometimes I find it harder to develop thought in shorter lines (a skill I need to develop) And though longer lines may be a little cumbersome, the fullness of expression for me is a pro worth the con. Anyway that's how I'm thinking. Thanks for your critique. Food for thought for me (isn't that such a trite phrase?) SDJ PS) In case anyone doesn't know, an Acrostic is a poem with a VERTICAL word cascading down the beginning of the lines. The first letter of each line being one of its letters. Example, the word SEE: Scanning Everything Everywhere |
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