03-24-2013, 11:50 PM
Someone that wants a poem published or get a good grade in school might be forced into using correct grammar against their will, but that's a choice and a risk. And while cliche is usually boring, abstractions aren't necessarily bad.
And you can choose, is a poem about a subject that's important, even in a narrow and personal way; or is a poem about its structure and about being poetry in an artistic sense. Are you making a poetic diary entry, or are you constructing a poem to be enjoyed by others as poetry? Most would probably prefer that you do the second thing, but even so, everything is up to you, and it's best to keep in mind that these things are your choice. And they're always your choice even when you're dead set on reaching a less narrow audience than yourself or a few other people.
And you can choose, is a poem about a subject that's important, even in a narrow and personal way; or is a poem about its structure and about being poetry in an artistic sense. Are you making a poetic diary entry, or are you constructing a poem to be enjoyed by others as poetry? Most would probably prefer that you do the second thing, but even so, everything is up to you, and it's best to keep in mind that these things are your choice. And they're always your choice even when you're dead set on reaching a less narrow audience than yourself or a few other people.