08-14-2023, 06:44 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-14-2023, 06:52 AM by Quixilated.)
“Serious about poetry” is too vague and very subjective. It is difficult to answer succinctly.
Am I ever going to send my poems to a publisher? Unlikely.
Am I ever going to introduce myself by saying I am a poet? Also unlikely.
Do I workshop my poems? Very rarely.
Do I read books about poetry? Not often enough (but I do like to buy them).
Am I going to keep writing poems? Indubitably. (Sometimes it’s the only way to make sense of the world in that ‘I don’t know what I think until I see what I say’ kind of way).
Do I think poetry is important? Yes. Absolutely I do.
I believe it is vital. Humans need poets and poetry. Poetry helps us see the world in new ways. Poetry can change a mind. It can answer a burning question or awaken a burning need. It can show you the world from another perspective. It can turn your world upside down or make it right again. It can show you the world from your own perspective but in the words you didn’t know how to say. Poetry is shared catharsis. It creates empathy. It can inspire and educate. It can make an idea easier to remember and more likely to stand the test of time. Poetry is humans at play. It can be funny, beautiful, weird, haunting, insightful. It is important to keep poetry alive, to keep it relevant, to create new poetry acolytes.
Am I a ‘serious’ poet. As a writer of it, probably not. For me writing is mostly a way to stop my mind from spinning out. But am I serious about poetry? Yes, I have very serious feelings about poetry. And I think it’s important to create spaces where people can learn to read and write and love poetry, to create spaces that make poetry available and interesting (and fun) to every new generation.
That being said, telling someone else that they aren’t ‘serious about poetry’ like it’s some sort of elite club with exclusive members is ridiculous. Anyone can write a poem. Requiring people to only write poems if they are ‘serous’ about it is like telling someone they aren’t allowed to sing unless they are a ‘serious’ musician. Poetry, music, and art, both the creation of it and the appreciation of it, belong to everyone. It’s part of the human experience.
Am I ever going to send my poems to a publisher? Unlikely.
Am I ever going to introduce myself by saying I am a poet? Also unlikely.
Do I workshop my poems? Very rarely.
Do I read books about poetry? Not often enough (but I do like to buy them).
Am I going to keep writing poems? Indubitably. (Sometimes it’s the only way to make sense of the world in that ‘I don’t know what I think until I see what I say’ kind of way).
Do I think poetry is important? Yes. Absolutely I do.
I believe it is vital. Humans need poets and poetry. Poetry helps us see the world in new ways. Poetry can change a mind. It can answer a burning question or awaken a burning need. It can show you the world from another perspective. It can turn your world upside down or make it right again. It can show you the world from your own perspective but in the words you didn’t know how to say. Poetry is shared catharsis. It creates empathy. It can inspire and educate. It can make an idea easier to remember and more likely to stand the test of time. Poetry is humans at play. It can be funny, beautiful, weird, haunting, insightful. It is important to keep poetry alive, to keep it relevant, to create new poetry acolytes.
Am I a ‘serious’ poet. As a writer of it, probably not. For me writing is mostly a way to stop my mind from spinning out. But am I serious about poetry? Yes, I have very serious feelings about poetry. And I think it’s important to create spaces where people can learn to read and write and love poetry, to create spaces that make poetry available and interesting (and fun) to every new generation.
That being said, telling someone else that they aren’t ‘serious about poetry’ like it’s some sort of elite club with exclusive members is ridiculous. Anyone can write a poem. Requiring people to only write poems if they are ‘serous’ about it is like telling someone they aren’t allowed to sing unless they are a ‘serious’ musician. Poetry, music, and art, both the creation of it and the appreciation of it, belong to everyone. It’s part of the human experience.
The Soufflé isn’t the soufflé; the soufflé is the recipe. --Clara