02-04-2013, 06:16 AM
I came across this article by Ami Mattison that pretty much sums it up (I found it by googling "why diary entry poetry is awful").
Some excerpts:
"Experienced poets, whether we acknowledge it or not, usually know when our poetry sucks. But as a beginner, it’s natural to be confused by what makes a “good” poem."
"Poetry is a very complex craft that requires lots of practice and experience to master... the best way to learn how to write poetry that doesn’t suck is to read lots of great poetry. So, check out your public library and read some poetry by well-known, great poets."
"Expressing yourself, enjoying the pleasure that language has to offer, and articulating your own truths are the most significant reasons for writing poetry. So, when you’re first starting out, don’t worry too much about whether or not your poetry sucks. Rather, try to have some fun— experiment with words and play with meanings.
If you write enough poetry, then you’re bound to write sucky poetry occasionally. As this article suggests, every poet does. Bad poetry clears the way for great poetry."
"When you love your poetry, you’ll want to make it better. And if you want to make it better, you’ll want to practice, experiment, and play; and by doing so, you’ll gain the necessary experience to improve and maybe write a lot less sucky poetry."
Mattison identifies several "danger" areas for beginning poets and provides examples by comparing two of her own poems. These are the same things that come up time and time again in poems here -- and poets who are serious about improvement will quickly realise that we're not just pushing our own stylistic agendas on this site, we're genuinely trying to give you all the tools you need to develop your own powerful, individual poetic voice.
Some excerpts:
"Experienced poets, whether we acknowledge it or not, usually know when our poetry sucks. But as a beginner, it’s natural to be confused by what makes a “good” poem."
"Poetry is a very complex craft that requires lots of practice and experience to master... the best way to learn how to write poetry that doesn’t suck is to read lots of great poetry. So, check out your public library and read some poetry by well-known, great poets."
"Expressing yourself, enjoying the pleasure that language has to offer, and articulating your own truths are the most significant reasons for writing poetry. So, when you’re first starting out, don’t worry too much about whether or not your poetry sucks. Rather, try to have some fun— experiment with words and play with meanings.
If you write enough poetry, then you’re bound to write sucky poetry occasionally. As this article suggests, every poet does. Bad poetry clears the way for great poetry."
"When you love your poetry, you’ll want to make it better. And if you want to make it better, you’ll want to practice, experiment, and play; and by doing so, you’ll gain the necessary experience to improve and maybe write a lot less sucky poetry."
Mattison identifies several "danger" areas for beginning poets and provides examples by comparing two of her own poems. These are the same things that come up time and time again in poems here -- and poets who are serious about improvement will quickly realise that we're not just pushing our own stylistic agendas on this site, we're genuinely trying to give you all the tools you need to develop your own powerful, individual poetic voice.
And as the article points out, there aren't any real shortcuts -- nothing beats experience.
![[Image: 392787_594630980564227_390074530_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/392787_594630980564227_390074530_n.jpg)