[stylist] Poem: "Snuff"

Thu Mar 13 13:58:43 UTC 2014

Hi,
Maybe, Bill, it is OK to say how you interpreted the poem, and leave the part out about how your interpretation is the only right one. Maybe you took an active hand in interpreting it. Maybe you simply wrote what came to you and didn't interpret. Curious minds always try to know.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L Houts
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 9:37 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem: "Snuff"

HI Bridgit,

Your relationship to poetry is very similar to mine.  I posted my idea
of what my poem "Snuff" means to me, and that's something I rarely do.
In my philosophy about these things, I think that it's my task as a poet
to write the piece with as much craft and passion as I'm able to, and
leave interpretation to the reader.  I do think some readings of a given
poem are more interesting than others, but it's not the poets job to
arbitrate that particular shooting match.  As Mr. Gibran teaches us, the
finger writes, and having writ moves on.

--Bill

On 3/12/2014 8:27 PM, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:
> I come from a school of thought that poetry is up to the reader in terms
> of meaning and emotion. Really any writing, but I learned in my poetry
> classes to not necessarily disect poetry word by word and sentence by
> sentence, but to look at it as a whole. Much like art.
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacobson,
> Shawn D
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 8:40 AM
> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem: "Snuff"
>
>
> Bill
>
> Thanks for sharing.  I'm not sure I get the whole thing from a first
> reading, but I get that you have an expressive way of writing.
>
> Shawn
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L
> Houts
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 7:51 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: [stylist] Poem: "Snuff"
>
> Hi Stylists,
>
> Here's a short poem I wrote last summer.It's interesting to me because I
> was using a lot of rhyme last summer and this one barely has any.  The
> subject matter isn't very pretty, but I think this one may be one of my
> best, even if it's bad form to say so, ha.
>
>
> --Bill
>
>
> --Bill
>
>
> ---
>
>
> The photo made me ill:that's how I knew.
>
> This was no gaffe, no show for the marks
>
> but murder:the plain motel bed,
>
> and the eyes, god the eyes of dephless X.
>
> Hewas naked,
>
> this man reduced to the size
>
> of someone's doll.The legs hung
>
> over the bed's edge, and he lay,
>
> his back flat, though beyond all rest,
>
> all sight, all knowing. As if only
>
> this camera, this eye
>
> and the knifelike eye
>
> behind it, unveiled how things really are:
>
> a mansion of rooms without pity,
>
> and their stunted ridiculous devils
>
> O reader, with your outraged eye
>
> you've had your monsters too:
>
> your heartsblood thieves, your killers,
>
> your stunted ridiculous devils
>
> O reader,with your dog-nose truth,
>
> your yes, your gifts of mending fire
>
> you are the hope for us all.
>
> and upon our stricken heads,
>
> the gracious rains fall.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> "Let's drink a toast now to who we really are."
>
>             --Jane Siberry
>
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--
"Let's drink a toast now to who we really are."

           --Jane Siberry

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