And I'm back to "not getting it" again.

moth · Feb 21, 2007

I've been lurking in the critique and chapbook threads lately, wanting to post responses but grr...I'm back to having no idea about poetry again. Everything I've read goes right past me, even when I read it several times. And I can't write anything of my own other than silly fluffy stuff. Nothing wrong with silly fluffy of course, but I guess I was hoping to be able to tap in and use poetry as a 'purge' feature like I've seen people say. I kind of wanted to see what would come out of me, but all I'm seeing is silly fluffy. :tongue

I have been focusing pretty hard on my query/synopsis/WIP lately, maybe that's got something to do with it.

So anyway. Maybe it's like a sine wave and I'm in a trough with the upswing not far off. Mostly I just wanted to say, just because I haven't posted a lot lately doesn't mean I'm not around.

(Rob, feel free to move this if it's not in the right forum.

)

Rich · Feb 21, 2007

"I'm back to having no idea about poetry again."

That's a good place to be. I'm serious. Forget about all the shit you learned. Now, write.

dclary · Feb 21, 2007

Poetry is as vast and diverse as any other form of writing, Moth. There's the freestyle stream of consciousness stuff, very structured and rigid stuff, conversational poetry, beat poetry.

I only write poetry a few times a year (I'm shooting for 12 poems this year). And it usually comes about because I get a phrase in my head, and as I turn that phrase in my skull, I see a series of phrases arranging around it.

Maybe it's whimsical (Coffeepot, Health Nuts), sometimes it's bittersweet (Carpenteria in Winter) or not so sweet at all (The Coming of Man). But for me, poetry is all about the rhythm and harmony and melody of words, selected and arranged in such a way as to mean something -- even if that meaning means nothing at all.

moth · Feb 21, 2007

Thanks guys. I honestly didn't expect any responses at all. You both have given me plenty to think about. *raises drink* *salutes*

poetinahat · Feb 21, 2007

I'm with you, moth. In fact, I'm at the point of writing off most of my poems from last year.

I'm going to try reading more before I write much more -- it's got to help.

moth · Feb 22, 2007

poetinahat said:
In fact, I'm at the point of writing off most of my poems from last year.

Really? I don't know why that surprises me. I've felt that way about my fiction, and writing poems is still writing, so why wouldn't that happen with poetry.

:Hug2:

And I'm with you on the reading. Even if I don't get poetry right now, I can absorb. (Plus I can give my subconscious something else to do. :tongue

) Thanks Rob.

Pat~ · Feb 22, 2007

I'm with you, moth. The more I read, it seems, the less I understand, and not only that, it's made me question a lot of my own work. I'm just trying to relax and read more quality poetry for now, in hopes that it'll light the spark again. Maybe this is a natural cycle of things for writers of poetry.

peg · Feb 22, 2007

Thanks for this post! 'Thought it was just me.

peg

moth · Feb 22, 2007

Pat and peg -- :Hug2:

Thanks for your thoughts, it's helped to read them.

davids · Feb 22, 2007

Hey Moth I am working on silly and fluffy-see poems posted-maybe you could help me. So write silly and fluffy-you just might be surprised at how the beginning of a silly fluffy poem becomes something deep and meaningful-if not then maybe you will just give some of us a bit of joy in reading some silly fluffy fluf-that aint bad either kiddo-come one-never mind the quality feel the width-Dave

moth · Feb 22, 2007

Heh..I've been considering that, but this stuff is pretty sugary. :e2bouncey

davids · Feb 22, 2007

Post silly fluffy sogar coated duffnut poems-need to have my lips coated in white powder-no not that kind silly-see silly fluffy under ode to silly fluffy poems by Sir William Crack-he is the foremost expert on silly fluffy sugar coated marginally Victorian poetry-did someone just belch? REALLY!!!!

Cassie88 · Feb 22, 2007

Moth, before writing, The Oak and the Rose, I hadn't written a poem in ages. During that time, I thought, I'll never be able to write a decent poem again. It happens to me all the time.

One thing I do is keep a journal by my side... to write down a phrase that comes to me, a simple thought, a word I love... or a few terribly written words about something I'd like to write about. Sometimes, one of those entries blooms into a poem.

To get you away from the fluffy stuff, try writing about the darker side of life... or how about a poem about wanting to write something other than fluffy....write about this problem.

davids · Feb 22, 2007

Good ideas from Cassie88

moth · Feb 22, 2007

Awesome ideas. That's the type of stuff I do for fiction and I don't know why my silly brain never crossed that particular bridge. Thank you!

MistOfShadows · Feb 23, 2007

Oo this is my first post in here I do believe... but i must say... What Cassie says is true to point. I have fallen quick to close my eyes and drift to dream when suddenly.... BAM!.... a simple phrase caught my attention. I can be driving down the road and get hit with an idea. I have even taken it to the point of drawing blanks and I would just go outside and sit in my flower garden and the simple serenity of that draws ideas into my head. Today's Trials, Yesterday's Battles, Tomorrow's Hopes... All something you could possibly write about.... Think of your favorite things, people, places, events. A hot cup of java by a warm crackling fire place... a pamphlet of paper in hand... simple ideas grow into the largest of masterpieces.

Good luck!

moth · Feb 23, 2007

Thank you Mist!

Gotta say I love that cup of java by a warm crackling fireplace idea. :Coffee:

Annie O · Feb 23, 2007

Moth and MistofShadows, you inspired me to start a game over on the game thread. Check it out!

Akuma · Mar 7, 2007

I don't know if this will help you, Moth, but my muse tends to stiffen up when I begin to take things too seriously and treat my writing like work.

When that happens, I back off, curb stomp the inner critic and try my best.

Here's hoping you find your groove.

Happy writing,
Akuma.

And I'm back to "not getting it" again.

moth

my own two hands

Rich

dclary

Unabashed Mercenary

moth

my own two hands

poetinahat

Numbers are beautiful

moth

my own two hands

Pat~

Luftmensch Emeritus, A.D.D.

peg

Greeting Cardiologist

moth

my own two hands

davids

moth

my own two hands

davids

Cassie88

Make mine a double entendre

davids

moth

my own two hands

MistOfShadows

moth

my own two hands

Annie O

...fueled on Cadburys

Akuma

Rare Writer Pokemon