What is Poetry?

Poetry is nothing more than words spread across a page. Poetry is the use of language in means of rhetoric and syntax to present an idea in a new creative or abstract manner. The literary style that is poetry is less about what is being said and more about how it is said, in other words a poem is a performance; because of this the interpretation of each poem becomes dependent on each member of the audience. 

A performance piece is hollow until the, in this instance, reader gives it breath. Each person to encounter a poem may have a different opinion of interpretation of its meaning. This is due to each individual’s point of reference, or experiences, cultural expectations and personal acceptance or beliefs of ideas presented in the poem or a combination of all of the above.

The idea of a poem as a performance piece stems past just the poem and reader situation; it goes back to before the reader to the poet and his thoughts. Until one understands the mindset and point of approach of the poet the reader is creating a new performance and not working from the base set forth by the poet. It often helps to change the titles of roles in a situation to divulge greater comprehension. So, the poet is the director, the poem the play and each reader is an actor cast in a new performance of the same production. One actor may view it as Broadway and another as Vaudeville, while both are different, neither is wrong nor right. That is the beauty and freedom of poetry: it is the act of participation in reading.

A strong example of the poet’s role in the process is found in “Who is a Poet” by Tadeusz Rosewicz. He uses an ironic approach to discuss who he is and that he is creating or presenting to the audience. There is no fluff or filler abut who it is behind the proverbial “smoke and screen.” Rosewicz makes a point to balance what a poet is as well as is not without ever giving a true answer. He makes a point to bring difference characteristics and personality’s traits as well as life experience to the poet to allow the audience to believe that the poet is someone who is relatable to themselves, creating another way for the poet to give direction to the “actor” without spelling it out.

In a general upshot, poetry is less about the expectations and implied requirements set forth by critiques and other interpreters. Instead it brings focus to the value of self-fulfillment and personal values placed on a text by an individual reader that allows connection or reliability. In other terms, poetry is not about others or even the poem but about what each “audience member” brings to and takes from the art.

an evening with Kasdorf

Julia Kasdorf: I found it interesting how her poetry takes a different meaning when you hear it aloud; I suppose all poetry does this. For instance, her poem about the soilder's mothers and thier reactions to their sons returns. It had a very moving effect on me personally because of my personal relation with war and having loved ones involved in war but also because of the art of story telling.

I enjoyed the fact that it was the poet reading her own work, who knows better where to pause, where to place tone inflection. I think that the poetry read was a well-rounded diverse selection not focusing only on one style of poetry or one subject matter. The prose essay of the Guardian Angel as well as the free verse poem of the soldiers were both included giving the reader balance. I thought that Kasdorf had a fun personality and was very down to Earth. I enjoyed that she took questions from the audience and really just seemed to what to share her world with us. I liked that she was not distant in that she was writer and we were reader, it was more of a partnership. I truly enjoyed the reading and hearing Kasdorf speak on her work and the process that goes into it.

Emanating Emily

This is much like the "Wording Whitman" post.... but with Emily Dickinson's work instead. Again the same idea of understanding style was explored. Also with this poet punctuation and its functions where brought to light in many respects. Personally I believe that Dickinson is a wonderfully brilliant poet and a pleasure to read but rather difficult to copy. She is nothing if not unique.



Children?

I am child. How old are you?
Are you a child too?
Are you and I - a we?
Shhh - we’re hiding.

Oh - responsibility. Being an adult
O - innocent beliefs falling fading fleeting
To wake and work-the long day
To pause resting no more.

Wording Whitman

This is just a simple imitation of Whitman's poetic style. It was done quickly and is another method for better understanding the style and technique of Whitman. Note: I said imitation this is a original work based off of a Whitman poem - IT IS NOT A WHITMAN Poem. A lot of what I took from this exercise was that it required a deeper understanding of the poet's style to truly understand meaning. Just taking a poem and replacing words does not mean that the same form is being followed nor does it mean that the same style or even type of poem will be emulated.

An Actor's View

Verbose, Dramatic all from young days
each curtain the audience a bit more demanding
as fighting or fetters this

Truth lost

Favorite Poem

“Who is a Poet” may seem to be nothing more than a list of contradicting characteristics; it paints an image for the reader as to who and what a poet does.

This poem really stands out to me because of the fact that is it’s written in couplets. I enjoy this form because it is simple and easy. My mind likes information presented in such a way that I read it, hear it, and it sticks. Small groups of information work best for this method; also the fact that the first statement is nothing more than a contradiction to the second. In addition, the characteristics given to the poet do not set him apart from the idea of the general “normal” person. Note I use the term normal loosely. Instead the attributes create a more common ground and more openly relating relationship between poet and audience.

My favorite couplet of the poem is “a poet is one who has told lies/ and one who has been told lies”. This line really stands out and I feel like I can connect to it because I believe that some of the best and most relating aspects of writing are fictional. This is one of the most beautiful parts of writing, artistic freedom. 

Hello

Hello there. This is going to be the medium I utilize for my Intro to Lit Engl 200 course. This is going to focused and aimed mostly at poetry and interpretations as well as analytical commentary and opinions. I do ask that if you are you not a course participate and you are reading this blog, please take note and care to  reference work published here. I have to stay up and put in the blood sweat and tears, please be polite if and when using.


Well this was fun. Stay tuned.
-Angie