Re: JDS the Poet
the.tourist@excite.com
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:39:21 -0800 (PST)
> Yes, it does seem that many writers, in their early years, are drawn to
the
> poem as their preferred genre. And many, it seems, outgrow it and move
on
> to more *mature* modes of composition
As a (self-declared) writer myself, who started out with poetry and
graduated to more "mature" genres, I would suggest that perhaps we start out
with poetry either because (thanks to Walt) we are attracted by its
formlessness, its improvisational, seemingly uncriticizable, nature--or,
(thanks to, say, Shakespeare) we are conversely attracted to poetry's
readymade rhyme schemes and cookie-cutter metering, tried in the fire, and
time-proven.
I would also suggest that as we grow older, or at least a little more
mature--or at least when we graduate college--we begin to see that just
because Walt could defy format and e.e. could drop all his punctuation, it
doesn't necessarily mean that you can drop your sloppy emotions on the page
like so much dirty laundry and that it will be *good*. Conversely, just
because you can rhyme ABABCDCDEE in iambic pentameter doesn't mean you have
anything truly beautiful to say.
A 5-7-5 meter does not a haiku make.
In short, I'm suggesting that writers don't *grow out* of poetry, as such,
but perhaps instead grow into an aesthetic sense that tells them they aren't
any good at it, or perhaps aren't willing to do the God-damn hard work that
poetry requires.
That's why there's so little good poetry out there. I'm lucky if I stumble
upon something once every five years that affects me. I was particularly
lucky to stumble upon Robert Pinsky recently.
Anyway, there you have it: once again, my overheated opinion.
--Brendan
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