[stylist] Chris and William, RE: Poem - "Magician"

[Jackie Williams]

Chris,
I really enjoy your commentary on these issues. I do know there is the
school of poets that believe every reader of a poem should have the
privilege of seeing what they want in it. Not having the thoughts of the
poet expedites this view. However, I am a lover of "closure," and if I
cannot find it myself, I seek it out any way I can.
Your conclusion to the accessible, or non-accessible poem, is largely what
my critique group does for me.
For the first hour and a half, we study poets and their works. In the
discussion of each one, I find just what you have found. Some find clarity
in what completely by-passes me. I see things that others do not see. But
for me, the bottom line is in knowing what the poet was thinking and trying
to say. If he cannot give this to his reader, I do not think he should be a
poet laureate.
The second hour and a half is when we pass around our homework assignment or
other subject we have chosen to write, one copy for each, and It is read
once by the writer, except in my case, and another time by another reader.
Then the critique starts and includes everything. We seem to have experts in
word choice, grammar, punctuation, techniques of presentation, poetic
devices, and form experts. It is an endless learning curve.
Because of my difficulty also in hearing, they write their comments large in
print, with black felt pens that I provide, I sometimes use a digital
recorder, but it does not pick up comments around the table, and often I do
not understand it. My son who takes me and picks me up, reads the comments
to me. 
"It takes a village..." sometimes to get me where I want to go in poetry. I
am so grateful for this. They have even learned to face me directly,
enunciate clearly without yelling, and to repeat titles twice, and last
lines twice. Often the natural dropping of the voice on a last line, or even
laughter, completely erases the sound. 
If I have not said this before, I will repeat it here. Blindness can be
about the 12th thing not right, but hearing is the first thing when combined
with blindness. I do so miss not being able to participate in the monthly
telephone gatherings for this reason. But, oh, how I love the voice of Jaws
with the microphones turned to their highest!


Jackie Lee

Time is the school in which we learn.
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz	 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chris Kuell
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 6:12 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Chris and William, RE: Poem - "Magician"

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. On the one hand, I agree with you. After 
Bill explained his poem, when I went back to read it again, I saw exactly 
what he was doing, and what he meant, and I gained a better appreciation for

the poem. Similarly, when I was sighted and used to visit art museums, often

they'd have a little card discussing a painting or a sculpture, which gave 
me a better appreciation for the work. Once I even tailed a tour guide, 
listening as she filled people in on the artist's lives, and discussed 
various aspects of the artwork which really helped me to get more from the 
art.

On the other hand, I can't help but imagine the stand-up comic on stage, 
telling jokes that either make the audience crack up, or he flops. After 
all, if he needs to explain why his joke is funny, the chances are it isn't.

But jokes are often a lot simpler than poems. I've read poems where I'm not 
sure what the poet is trying to say, but I love the imagery, the phrasing, 
the emotion in the work. I'm probably way off base, but I might imagine the 
poet in a broken love affair, or fighting with her parents, or simply 
contemplating the nature of god as he sits on a beach on Cape Cod. I might 
not be on the right track of what the poet was thinking, but I still get 
something from the poem. Other times, I just scratch my head.

Now, having written all this, about 16 months ago I started a book group 
here in my town. We read a different book each month, then meet at each 
other's houses to discuss it. And I can tell you, I've learned something 
from every single discussion. No matter how I feel about a book, someone 
else sees something different, and it always makes me go--oh, I didn't think

of it that way. That's very interesting...

So perhaps poetry, for me, might be best enjoyed when I have the opportunity

to discuss it with others, to share ideas and bounce perspectives around.

Chris


 


_______________________________________________
Writers Division web site
http://writers.nfb.org/
stylist mailing list
stylist at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
stylist:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/jackieleepoet%40cox.net