[split] Up Mountains by RiverNotch, question about notes

[RiverNotch]

Thanks for considering the thing! I suppose my latest problem is the level of referentiality I've been infusing in my stuff (I think it's me compensating for a rarity of lyricism). The other four-part-piece I posted here actually had notes, but even then it got too high up in Valentinus' philosophy to work -- I'm still figuring out how to clean it up. As for this, I consider it a good deal less taxing, since this isn't a mix-and-match: the references here are mostly limited to Philippine myth and bits of modern Philippine history (with the others, particularly the personal ones, being kinda unnecessary). It is, I think, about as referential as, say, any poem semi-modernizing Greek or Roman myth, with the only thing making it difficult being that instead of Greek or Roman myth, it's Filipino myth*. Which would, if this remained obscure to a literate Filipino audience, be interesting, especially with the poem swaying to commentary on imperialism. But to an international audience, especially with the internet, all four goddesses have Wikipedia articles, and the articles I believe lay out most everything you need to know -- without the internet, yeah, probably notes. I agree with you that notes can be a part of the poem, but I also agree with Leanne that if the notes intrude upon the poem, it ain't successful -- ultimately, the limiting factors for me would be audience (this is presented in an international forum for workshopping, but I intend to circulate this among Filipino friends), extent (as in, the notes shouldn't exactly be line-by-line; as well, if it's a haiku or a sonnet or some other shorter form, it should be selective in terms of its audience, whereas for long forms the author wants to sell and such, it's excusable), and who wrote them (if it's anyone but the author and if it's without the author's consent and if language hasn't evolved enough that any idiosyncracies are inadvertent, then no, it shouldn't be part of the poem). For this, in all three, I don't need notes -- okay, maybe for this forum, I need some notes, but again, Google, and more importantly I wanna see how many folks are engaged enough to actually Google, because if there's not enough, then I've failed. I could PM you some, if you want, though.

*and ironically, the one section which draws from myth the most, the first one, is I think straightforward enough a narrative that it's the only section that won't need notes.