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davidmerriman
Member

since 2003-04-30

Posts 123
Dallas, TX

0 posted 2006-08-01 03:17 AM

When young people write poetry
they reach in a bag of fireworks
scattering a random assortment
on the ground to be lit.

Bottle rockets, roman candles,
sparklers, Fat Cats---anything loud
and common to explode in the name of
whatever whatever.

Perfunctorily, they light the
minor explosions in the backyard,
and the sound gets them, the thrill,
what others hear as simply noise.

Brian James
Member

since 2005-06-26

Posts 147
Winnipeg

1 posted 2006-08-01 05:16 AM

Ahh my ears!  Nah, just kidding.

I think I agree, but you might upset some people in this forum with that kind of attitude.  True, a lot of amateur poetry is really about scattering the fireworks, but that's because it's all we really know how to understand early on.  Later, when our brains get all big and full of a sense of what's important, we can write the sort of life-changing poetry proper to adults.

All the same, I don't think I ever grew out of liking fireworks.  Sometimes fireworks are shaped like things---have you ever seen those ones?  They're the coolest fireworks.

Thanks for sharing---

Brian

The Shadow in Blue
Member

since 2006-05-18

Posts 493
EL, Michigan

2 posted 2006-08-01 09:35 AM

I have a question for you David. How would you suggest amateur poets start out? I mean we can't just cheat the process of learning/experience by starting with a full tank with no where to go. By the way, loved the comparison between young poets and fireworks (-:

~J.

davidmerriman
Member

since 2003-04-30

Posts 123
Dallas, TX

3 posted 2006-08-01 12:39 PM

I'm only 19. I have been seriously pursuing writing since I was 15. Now I am a Creative Writing major at Oberlin college. I have read, and written, many, many lines of poetry that I would describe as such.

How would I suggest poets start? You can't really suggest anything; then you would be writing for them. All I can suggest is to read great literature, and in the face of great literature, all of our work must look like this. :-) But fireworks are fun; it's not solely negative.

stargal
Senior Member

since 2006-03-06

Posts 1352
OR USA

4 posted 2006-08-01 02:35 PM

Mmm... Seems like an interesting idea and I'd love to see what others on pip say, so, I'm bumping* this back up!

@-->---

the_girl_next_door
Senior Member

since 2006-02-26

Posts 591
USA

5 posted 2006-08-01 07:28 PM

I'm 15 and I've been writing poetry since I was 11.. I go back and read old poems and see that they were not as good as I thought they were at the time. It shows how our writing matures as we mature. We write about what we know about at the time, that's poetry. You can't expect someone of a younger age to write something that an experienced writer would measure to. I'm not saying that a young person can not write a poem that could steal the crowd of Literatures Society Association

You being only 19 might not be too far ahead of the rest of us, you and I have been writing about the same amount time.

I also liked your comparison of young writers to fireworks but some people know better than to play with fire.

~Heather

Desire nothing except desirelessness. Hope for nothing except to rise above all hopes.
Want nothing & you will have everything.

The Shadow in Blue
Member

since 2006-05-18

Posts 493
EL, Michigan

6 posted 2006-08-01 07:50 PM

I agree with Heather on this one, because I've been writing for almost a year, give or or take a month or two. And trust me when I say that some of my attempts kind of sucked. I guess it's all about where you are in life. And that is all my 16 year old mouth has to say for now.

Oh and about the fireworks, sometimes it's fun to play with fire (as long as you don't get burned). (hehe...*devilish grin*) It sometimes shows guts and...maybe stupidity...nevermind...got off subject there...

Tchao et Bonsoir (gotta love the French...)
~Jill

lace_of_light
Junior Member

since 2006-08-02

Posts 44

7 posted 2006-08-04 01:03 AM

lol fire's fun even if you are burned (just not as fun as when you weren't) but i just started out too and people tell me my poems aren't any good, though i think they are. so i guess this proves blue's point (either that or everyone hates me...yeah, that's a good possibility)

"areyouinorareyouout? eitherwayyoucan'twin." he said. "butthefallwillbefantasticandwhat'sleftisnothinglessthanperfection"

Silver and Cold

WaterFairy103
Member

since 2006-05-31

Posts 196

8 posted 2006-08-04 11:00 AM

Lol i think this is really good! I've never actually had someone write like this, and I love it! I started writing when i was 12, and I knew even then that it wasn't all that great, but slowly I got better. lol and really, isn't teenage-hood about fireworks? It's what we live for until we grow up! lol great job, i really love it!

When I stopped trying to find the right guy, and concentrated on being the right girl, the right guy found me.

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