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Time and poetry
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Time and poetry |
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The Lady of Shallot Senior Member
since 2001-10-03
Posts 818USA |
How much time do you spend on a poem? Does it depend on the poem? Do you think the longer it takes to write it the better it is? I am just wondering if anyone else feels a poem is a living thing, as I do. Thank you for reading  -befriend yourself and you will never be alone- |
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Titia Geertman Member Ascendant
since 2001-05-07
Posts 5182Netherlands |
WEll, I can't just sit and write. They just pop up and then it does take very little time. As I often use pics to my poetry, I spend more time to them to get them right. Titia A rose is a rose is a rose...I guess... |
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Interloper
since 2000-11-06
Posts 8369Deep in the heart |
Yes, a poem is living because it is a part of you. Sometimes it takes only a minute or two for something to come to me. Other times, days. Some of my best work has been totally inspired by poets here at Passions. Some of what I thought was good, and took hours to write, wasn't as good or as well accepted. Anyway, it really doesn't matter what others think because, in the end, you are writing for only one person ... yourself. Fool, said my Muse to me, look in thy heart and write. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
A good question. Poetry is a living art, and I think all good poets always go back and tweak new life into their poems. To me good poetry reflects a change in life, and even the classic poems, if the poet were alive today, would be subject to change, just as the artist has changed. The moment I think I cannot write, and put all writing tools away, thoughts come flowing. Aggravating to a T. Then I can sit before a blank page, and zip. So I make it an exercise to write something, whether it be good or bad, hopefully some one will find something in it that strikes them. But I do know I take a bit more time with them as I grow older...I want to leave some lasting memories behind... |
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Tracey Member Elite
since 2001-08-29
Posts 2808where insanity meets breeding |
For some reason, I find the ones that take the least amount of time to write, are my better ones. These are the ones that just fall out of my mind, and require very little tweaking. Other times, I'll have an idea that I want to write, and the first few lines spill out, but then I can't finish them, or if I try to, I find it doesn't flow well. I have a multitude of half finished poems lying around. I keep going back to them, but just can't make them say what I mean. So, after that long winded answer, I guess.....oops, I've forgotten what the question was now!!! lol If she who dies with the most toys wins, then can I have some toy boys please? |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
Poems come differently, some with arduous strain, some with lubricious ease. I can't really say which is better for the final outcome (though the easy way is better for instant gratification...BTW I am in labor with a long diffuicult poem right now...arrrggh, but I love what it is becoming). I've written poems I thought were wonderful that came both ways or somewhere in between. I guess that fits your description of poems being sort of a living thing.... poems like us are individuals. Stephen. |
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Krawdad Member Elite
since 2001-01-03
Posts 2597 |
TLoS, Good questions. For whatever it's worth . . . the last piece I submitted (malaise) was written, pen on paper, in no more time than it would take to copy it. I submitted it as originally written, minutes later. Other things get tweaked. Some get poured over. Some never get finished. I rarely write on a PC. If there is a glitch and I lose it, it is nearly impossible to recreate, though I've tried. Is a poem living? I hope so. That's my intent, at least. Maybe 'the time it takes' relates more to the craft of the poem and how much the poet needs to fix that. I spent one year attempting to write daily and in the haiku form only. I fully succeeded at neither. However, near the end of that time, I found myself thinking in that form. I guess that says something about practice and experience easing and perhaps speeding the process, and even the thinking. I don't think that the time invested has anything to do with the better of it or the worse of it. Now, before I hit the wrong button, I'll submit this.  "As soon as the generals and the politicos can predict the motions of your mind, lose it." Wendell Berry |
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The Lady of Shallot Senior Member
since 2001-10-03
Posts 818USA |
thank you guys for your input, this is quite interesting and I appreciate hearing different viewpoints! -befriend yourself and you will never be alone- |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Generally I spend quite a bit of time on a poem now...I have learned, for myself personally that it is to the poems benefit to spend more time tweaking and rewriting, reorganizing, to see if I can add to the theme, imagery and vocabulary. I have found that there is ALWAYS a better word or a more poetic phrase that I can come up with if I keep playing with the original thought or verse. A Thesaurus is a must...as is a rhyming dictionary...Both of which Ron has given us excellent resources to-obtained easily on these posting screen-- (dictionarydot.com and More tools-upper right hand side of reply screen) Many times I work on a poem for days and even weeks, especially if I am researching its theme or structure. Sometimes I rewrite a poem so much that it is hardly recognizable next to its rough draft. I have also found that if you leave one that is not quite right...and let it be for a day or two, when you come back to it with a fresh pair of eyes you can pick up the pace. And of course there are those times when the muse blesses me and one just pours out and wont require more than a bit of tweaking.. but I NEVER write and immediately post a poem...For me personally I feel like that is rushing the process. I feel like the first write is a rough draft that always needs polishing. And another helpful teaching tool is to have a fellow poet whom you can trust and whom you can take constructive critque from-- to have them read the poem and tell you where they think it lacks, or maybe is too cliche, or perhaps the rhyme is too obvious/contrived or forced, etc... having an unbiased pair of eyes to challenge you to work harder on the poem is a very good way to help a poet grow. thanks for asking and listening. peace and poetry jm This distance has shown how the road remains alone |
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Moon Dust
since 1999-06-11
Posts 2177Skelmersdale, UK |
I think the less words you use say more than the more words you write because theres less to take in and more to think about. I breathe the dust, the dust is me. |
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catalinamoon
since 2000-06-03
Posts 9543The Shores of Alone |
Hi, well for me it usually falls out in a rush, then I have to tweak it a little bit to get the syllable count right. If I ponder over it too long, it often ruins it. That said, I have about 200 unfinished poems, started out with a burst and then just couldn't finish them. I don't know if I am a professional at this, but I think the spontaneous ones seem to be better. My biggest problem is over emotionalism lol Sandra |
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