Spending time with kids, spouse, friends, parents;
caring for someone sick, making dinner, saving the earth,
earning money, going to the bathroom to pee...
The more of these you ignore, the better the poem.

I must protest: do not ignore the need to pee. Having your bladder burst all over your crown of sonnets is not good for your poem -- well, not good for that particular poem, but possibly good for all that you've written in the past, since the toxicity will probably kill you...

The cooking analogy is a good one. Plenty of people (myself included) go one step too far and muddle the metaphors beyond all hope... then again, that's where we come in and save the day by burning our fingers to get it back out again...

That analogy is far too painful to contemplate (so I will):

Abandoned, alone, having to use burned fingers to eat my own poems.

I don't think I've had my six points, so:

1) I have found it easiest, to have some particular metre in my head, so that, when I think of anything, words tumble happily into their proper slots.

2) Watch out for ideas which come simultaneously, but really are not one poem, but two. Conversely, sometimes, two seemingly quite different things which pop into the mind, can form fascinating strands of poems which may continue to mystify me for a long while, but which have something.

don't make writing a chore that has to be done, do it because it makes you happy. or because it makes you feel good, get something positive from it.

never show what yo write to friends and relatives, They'll only have you feel you're brilliant when you're obviously far from it.

(03-02-2012, 12:11 AM)Todd Wrote:  Treat poetry like you would cooking. If you add too many ingredients it comes off confusing and overdone. Trust your imagery keep the flourishes to just what is needed.

This insight deserves resurrection.

(05-16-2015, 05:16 AM)Leanne Wrote:  

(03-02-2012, 12:11 AM)Todd Wrote:  Treat poetry like you would cooking. If you add too many ingredients it comes off confusing and overdone. Trust your imagery keep the flourishes to just what is needed.

This insight deserves resurrection.

    The metaphor only works for inexperienced cooks. Good cooks can use vast
numbers of ingredients and produce the sublime.  I have a Cook's Illustrated Magazine
(the scientific method is strong in this one, Supreme Commander Vader) that has a recipe
for fish stew that uses twenty-three. Good cooks can use just one as well: peaches.  
Of course, the 'too many' invalidates this remark as two would be too many for peaches,
and twenty-four would be too many for the fish stew. The best number of flourishes is
probably zero and imagery should never be trusted, you gotta keep an eye on that fucker
the whole distance. Uh, but yes, resurrection is appropriate (metaphorically speaking).



    "Write poetry like you make alphabet soup: You start with random letters,
    you stir them up, and you serve them (all the while trying not to burn your fingers)".
- Kooc Doog

Leanne asked for newbies input a couple of years ago..
Can't get much newer than me! Please excuse my over enthusiasm.

Write poetry, and ask for critique from someone more advanced.
Read lots of poetry, and also about poetry, different forms, etc.
If you don't understand, ask or you might never find out.
Read critiques of others poetry, it's a completely objective point of view, that can be really enlightening.
Always try to improve your vocabulary.
Don't be afraid to write bad poetry, and never stop learning, writing and growing.

Oh, and enjoy writing it! Thats gotta be number one for me, otherwise what's the point?

I happily endorse all of these things

(06-15-2015, 02:59 PM)queenconstantine Wrote:  Leanne asked for newbies input a couple of years ago..
Can't get much newer than me! Please excuse my over enthusiasm.

Write poetry, and ask for critique from someone more advanced.
Read lots of poetry, and also about poetry, different forms, etc.
If you don't understand, ask or you might never find out.
Read critiques of others poetry, it's a completely objective point of view, that can be really enlightening.
Always try to improve your vocabulary.
Don't  be afraid to write bad poetry, and never stop learning, writing and growing.

Oh, and enjoy writing it! Thats gotta be number one for me, otherwise what's the point?

We love over-enthusiasm! We love newbies! Writing poetry requires
over-enthusiasm in the first draft, but you left out the most important thing:

Editing!!   (Well, ok, enjoying your writing comes first; but it's a strong 2nd.)

Skilled editing removes the "over", but keeps the enthusiasm.

Welcome,
Ray

---

(03-02-2012, 04:18 AM)Leanne Wrote:  I must protest:  do not ignore the need to pee.  Having your bladder burst all over your crown of sonnets is not good for your poem -- well, not good for that particular poem, but possibly good for all that you've written in the past, since the toxicity will probably kill you...

And ruin your keyboard!*


*Voice of experience.

Well, at least I know I've mastered one element of poetry, Im definitly enthusiatic! thanks for the welcome! *waves and runs off to start editing*