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Apr. 25, 2005 As a poet, I'm sensitive to most comments about poetry. I hear critics laugh, label it useless, dead, or worse just dull. I'm referring to poetry in general not just mine! Attendance at local coffee houses, libraries and schools which host open-mic night are usually filled with poets in the audience. At least we do support each other. I understand why some people don't consider poetry as a viable form of expression. First, America is a very materialist society which equates self-worth with a certain monetary value. People consider you successful if you make lots of money. People, such as Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. or Sister Theresa, wouldn't be considered successful from the materialistic point. Money does give you the "potential" to help solve many socially causes and concerns, but that doesn't happen enough. People helping people, the grassroots approach, usually have a greater impact to world causes and disasters. Second, many of us get flashbacks of literary abuse from school days. We had to memorize the Elizabethan rhyme and scheme of thousands of pages. Drill, drill, drill. Memorize this stanza after the next and know the page number as well! We were clueless what those poets were trying say. They just talked funny. Then, we'd get tested on any stanza or verse and asked to give our insightful interpretation. That scared most of us away. College was only a little better. But, again, we don't consider poetry as something needed for the "real world," which meant important to get a job. Third, people run from poetry because it exposes their feelings. Either a poet might share an embarrassing subject which opens his vein. This makes people uncomfortable. Few like to become naked in public. Or a poet, recites a poet which seems strangely familiar to you. She almost wrote your thoughts and feelings! How dare she! Last, poetry is hard work. Poetry isn't about listing words. It's not a grocery list. It's not about rambling on and on to fill page after page with vague imagery and insanity. You don't have to be insane to be poet. (Now, if you write about some of the social ills and seek understanding, you "may" become insane!) Rambling and insanity aren't characteristics of a literary genius. There are genius which don't ramble. Besides the art isn't about rambling or being crazy. It's about finding the exact words which best expresses a poet's feelings or experience in a way people can understand. Poets create pictures for people to see. Forget lengthy pontificating or intellectual masturbation to impress people. Poetry takes a listener or reader to that moment and spin a web of words around the guest to listen and feel. Prose, such as with short stories and novels, do the same thing, but poetry is a confined realm. I see prose as taking the reader to a place. Poetry flows faster and moves riders on a road which passes "by" the place. Get what you can while you can. We must take in the images, digest them and savor their impact. A novel gives us time to rest and walk around. April is National Poetry Month, so buy (poets need the support!) or borrow a book of poetry. Write a poem. There will be no test. Don't worry about the rhyme and scheme. In fact, freestyle (poems without the rhyme and scheme) it. If it rhymes when it comes out, that's fine. Just make room to expressive without obstacles! Let it flow and be alive. Then, share what you've written with others. Don't be selfish or embarrassed. What you experienced or felt someone else has too. You're not alone. ------------ About the author: Henry L. Jones is a poet and artist. His book, RUN INTO BLACKNESS: FEELING MY POETIC GUMBO, will be released by Pneuma Publishing International, Inc. in late 2005. Email: spreadingcolor@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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