[stylist] understanding poetry

Sun Sep 30 23:45:33 UTC 2012

Lynda, and Barbara,
I had such mixed feelings about your questions, Barbara, and your response,
Lynda, that I feel the need to respond. I have gone through the steps you
recommend, Lynda, to understand and appreciate a poem. But on a practical
sphere, why should I invest a week or two on one poem which I may never
truly understand what the poet wanted to convey. There are great poets who
say what they mean in truly literary ways without having to make a a great
mystery out of it.
If the poet indeed writes just for him or herself, and there are those few
who will spend hours on trying to ferret out the meaning, that is a
wonderful combination for both of the partys. At some point, life becomes
too short to indulge in this practice. Billy Collins is a great poet, but is
also truly accessible. This is my ideal. I get a new poem every day. I have
come to select the ones that have a truly great line or two, or are truly
accessible to save to re-read. Some I will read  as many as six times, but
if it is not clear by then, it is deleted. Sometimes I have googled a word,
and have found new meaning to the poem. But please, a "tossed    salad" of
words is not a nourishing meal.
So, Barbara, thank you for saying what I often think, and Lynda, for your
wise words to an earnest student of poetry who has a great deal of time to
invest in understanding the content and making it meaningful to his or her
life.Certainly, the process should be done once. For me, after that, the
content of what I think might be there in a meaningful way will be my guide.
I love these points of view that make us analyze our own reading habits.
Thank you both.
Jackie 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2012 11:36 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] understanding poetry

Barbara, you are not stupid.  You DID read the books, didn't you?  That 
means, you have an interest  in poetry though what you found was not what 
you had expected.
You can say "who cares?" and be the person you were when you began to open 
the first book to read; or, you can say "what is there about this poetry 
that makes it worthy of inclusion in this book?"  Your strong reacction to 
what you have read reveals that in an unexpected way, you were deeply moved 
by the books.

I would suggest you choose only ONE POEM from one of those books, and take 
it into your thoughts. Live with that one poem for a week or so. Read it 
over and over again - one little bit at a time.  Ask this poem for 
revelation - be open to SEE what is there - spend tiem with it so you can 
begin to know it in a deeper way. It is a living presence, and it awaits 
your return to it, if you are willing.

A person writes from where she is in life. Where she has been, and what she 
knows, or what she is thinking about.  If the poem is rigorous, it is 
because the person who has written it understands rigor - the hard work of 
creation. It is WORK.  And, it requires WORK to read it and understand it in

some way.  You are not stupid - you just need to do the hard work of 
beginning to get into a poem. And, that seems to make you angry and 
frustrated. Get beyond that, and tear into it, girl. I know you can do it. 
lol
Lynda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbara Hammel" <poetlori8 at msn.com>
To: <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2012 12:06 AM
Subject: [stylist] understanding poetry

>I have decided that I am stupid.  I have read"the Best American Poetry" 
>2000 through 2003.  I probably average two poems a book that I actually 
>understand, though I don't like them.
> What happened to the days when the average person wrote poetry.  Seems 
> like these days you have to have many degrees behind your name to write 
> what?
> Ugh!
> Barbara
>
> Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. -- Carl Sandburg
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