09-13-2016, 01:06 PM
Well I've read the beginning and the end of what's been written up to now, so I'll drop my two cents in on the original question and take my leave while I can.
If all poetry seems to be cryptic, pretentiously stylistic, and opposed to communication, you have probably not read enough poetry, or have managed to only select piss-poor poems. Nonetheless, and lot of well-known and well-regarded poets were absolutely self-indulgent, some worthy of being called pricks. That being said, no matter the genre, I believe a lot of artists exhibit the same characteristics. I consider sold-out concerts and autograph sessions rather similar to book-signings and the like.
Yet, I suspect I can understand some of where you are coming from. I find some genres of music to be aurally appealing. Some are appalling. It is harder for me to find a painting or a sculpture visually appealing. Yet, it is not very hard to find one that seems appalling to me. In written word, you can have a blend of visual and aural appeal or disgust. This is one of the reasons I enjoy poetry. I view it as any other art - a reflection of environment - but I can listen to it, or read it. The deaf may see it, the blind may hear it - even if a little effect is lost.
If you would like to know how to approach a reading of poetry, I will explain it (simply) this way, the way my professor explained poetry to my class.
Music is an art of sounds and rhythms.
Visuals is the art of images.
Poetry is the art of language.
It will make the same kind of artistic "statements" as any other form of art, but it's medium is language.
(08-15-2016, 09:57 AM)AndreyGaganov Wrote: Hi,I've seen talk on this forum about singers 'hiding behind the music.' It's a phrase I really hated to see. As some songwriters have made some truly poetic lyrics, and a musical accompaniment can add wonderfully, if done right. Most often, however, one these suffers. I typically find music with good lyrics and poor music, poor lyrics and good music, or - worst of all - poor lyrics and poor music.
I'm a 25-year-old songwriter currently experiencing a writer's block. I turned to poetry because I've recently discovered the concept of bibliotherapy (... Yes, at 25, ... I guess that's because Nevada public education sucks.). I'm hoping that somehow by magic ('cause that's how it works here in the real world, right?) poetry could solve my problems with finding my voice and writing melodies.
To be frank, so far all poetry seems to me like self-indulgent exercises in cryptography/cryptology/whatever, a triumph of style over substance, disdain for communication, treating the meaning of the poem as something subordinate. Please, prove me wrong. I just don't see anything galvanizing about it.
Thanks in advance,
- Andrey.
If all poetry seems to be cryptic, pretentiously stylistic, and opposed to communication, you have probably not read enough poetry, or have managed to only select piss-poor poems. Nonetheless, and lot of well-known and well-regarded poets were absolutely self-indulgent, some worthy of being called pricks. That being said, no matter the genre, I believe a lot of artists exhibit the same characteristics. I consider sold-out concerts and autograph sessions rather similar to book-signings and the like.
Yet, I suspect I can understand some of where you are coming from. I find some genres of music to be aurally appealing. Some are appalling. It is harder for me to find a painting or a sculpture visually appealing. Yet, it is not very hard to find one that seems appalling to me. In written word, you can have a blend of visual and aural appeal or disgust. This is one of the reasons I enjoy poetry. I view it as any other art - a reflection of environment - but I can listen to it, or read it. The deaf may see it, the blind may hear it - even if a little effect is lost.
If you would like to know how to approach a reading of poetry, I will explain it (simply) this way, the way my professor explained poetry to my class.
Music is an art of sounds and rhythms.
Visuals is the art of images.
Poetry is the art of language.
It will make the same kind of artistic "statements" as any other form of art, but it's medium is language.
If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room.
"Or, if a poet writes a poem, then immediately commits suicide (as any decent poet should)..." -- Erthona
"Or, if a poet writes a poem, then immediately commits suicide (as any decent poet should)..." -- Erthona