hi everyone, first time on the forum. just wondering if someone could give me a description, a demonstration or even a definition of what poetry is?
Im someone from a science-y background so i have no real exposure to poetry, aside from knowing it gets nerds beat up in high school movies from the 90's. still i like to think i have an open mind so im all ears 
Posts: 1,279
Threads: 187
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 574
Threads: 80
Joined: May 2013
(06-14-2013, 08:43 PM)milo Wrote: https://www.google.com/search?q=poetry+d...e&ie=UTF-8
I get the sneaking suspicion that Milo is somewhat of a philistine.
Posts: 1,279
Threads: 187
Joined: Dec 2016
(06-14-2013, 10:38 PM)Brownlie Wrote: (06-14-2013, 08:43 PM)milo Wrote: https://www.google.com/search?q=poetry+d...e&ie=UTF-8
I get the sneaking suspicion that Milo is somewhat of a philistine.
no, but the idea anyone would get a better answer to the question from anyone on this site than from google is ridiculous. You want a discussion on what is poetry? Bring something to the table. Tell me what you think it is first. I will be more than happy to tell you you're wrong. 
Posts: 2,602
Threads: 303
Joined: Feb 2017
(06-15-2013, 06:30 AM)milo Wrote: (06-14-2013, 10:38 PM)Brownlie Wrote: (06-14-2013, 08:43 PM)milo Wrote: https://www.google.com/search?q=poetry+d...e&ie=UTF-8
I get the sneaking suspicion that Milo is somewhat of a philistine.
no, but the idea anyone would get a better answer to the question from anyone on this site than from google is ridiculous. You want a discussion on what is poetry? Bring something to the table. Tell me what you think it is first. I will be more than happy to tell you you're wrong.
Quite right!
Best,
tectak
Posts: 1,568
Threads: 317
Joined: Jun 2011
(06-14-2013, 08:38 PM)tojrah Wrote: hi everyone, first time on the forum. just wondering if someone could give me a description, a demonstration or even a definition of what poetry is?
As the previous posters have said/implied, this is a discussion that's been going on for thousands of years -- so the short answer is no.
And the long answer is, milo is wrong also
It could be worse
(06-15-2013, 06:30 AM)milo Wrote: (06-14-2013, 10:38 PM)Brownlie Wrote: (06-14-2013, 08:43 PM)milo Wrote: https://www.google.com/search?q=poetry+d...e&ie=UTF-8
I get the sneaking suspicion that Milo is somewhat of a philistine.
no, but the idea anyone would get a better answer to the question from anyone on this site than from google is ridiculous. You want a discussion on what is poetry? Bring something to the table. Tell me what you think it is first. I will be more than happy to tell you you're wrong.
fair answers i guess, the main difficulty i have with poetry is
that a lot of poems just seem to be normal words,
with ample usage of the enter button,
so that they end up in this staggered format,
what am i missing?
You must be missing a pen and paper.
Posts: 2,602
Threads: 303
Joined: Feb 2017
(06-15-2013, 08:09 AM)tojrah Wrote: (06-15-2013, 06:30 AM)milo Wrote: (06-14-2013, 10:38 PM)Brownlie Wrote: I get the sneaking suspicion that Milo is somewhat of a philistine.
no, but the idea anyone would get a better answer to the question from anyone on this site than from google is ridiculous. You want a discussion on what is poetry? Bring something to the table. Tell me what you think it is first. I will be more than happy to tell you you're wrong.
fair answers i guess, the main difficulty i have with poetry is
that a lot of poems just seem to be normal words,
with ample usage of the enter button,
so that they end up in this staggered format,
what am i missing? Ahaa. The King is sporting his fine new ensemble. Altogether now.
tectak
Posts: 1,279
Threads: 187
Joined: Dec 2016
(06-15-2013, 08:09 AM)tojrah Wrote: (06-15-2013, 06:30 AM)milo Wrote: (06-14-2013, 10:38 PM)Brownlie Wrote: I get the sneaking suspicion that Milo is somewhat of a philistine.
no, but the idea anyone would get a better answer to the question from anyone on this site than from google is ridiculous. You want a discussion on what is poetry? Bring something to the table. Tell me what you think it is first. I will be more than happy to tell you you're wrong.
fair answers i guess, the main difficulty i have with poetry is
that a lot of poems just seem to be normal words,
with ample usage of the enter button,
so that they end up in this staggered format,
what am i missing?
it is tough to respond to this without an example or two. They may be using other poetic techniques that you are not picking up on but I can't tell. Why not look through the site, read some of the poems and see if they fit the pattern you are describing?
ALL poems are made of normal words BTW 
Posts: 444
Threads: 285
Joined: Nov 2011
Anything less than 457 words.
(Sounds simplistic, but it's actually more accurate than most other definitions.)
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
Posts: 1,279
Threads: 187
Joined: Dec 2016
(06-15-2013, 11:40 AM)rayheinrich Wrote:
Anything less than 457 words.
what about Gaiman's 99 word short story?
also, does this mean that Endymion and The Waste Land are not poetry?
Posts: 444
Threads: 285
Joined: Nov 2011
(06-15-2013, 11:44 AM)milo Wrote: (06-15-2013, 11:40 AM)rayheinrich Wrote:
Anything less than 457 words.
what about Gaiman's 99 word short story?
also, does this mean that Endymion and The Waste Land are not poetry? You're too fast for me. Whole thing was:
Anything less than 457 words.
(Sounds simplistic, but it's actually more accurate than most other definitions.)
Accurate, NOT foolproof.
The 457 comes from a paper that shows this definition is correct 90% of the time on 'modern' (since 1930) wordage.
Show me one that's better.
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
Posts: 1,279
Threads: 187
Joined: Dec 2016
(06-15-2013, 11:47 AM)rayheinrich Wrote: (06-15-2013, 11:44 AM)milo Wrote: (06-15-2013, 11:40 AM)rayheinrich Wrote:
Anything less than 457 words.
what about Gaiman's 99 word short story?
also, does this mean that Endymion and The Waste Land are not poetry? [font=Courier]You're too fast for me. Whole thing was:
Anything less than 457 words.
(Sounds simplistic, but it's actually more accurate than most other definitions.)
Accurate, NOT foolproof.
The 457 comes from a paper that shows this definition is correct 90% of the time on 'modern' (since 1930) wordage.
Show me one that's better.
[font=Courier]
well, it's good enough for me anyway. At least no one asked what makes /good/ poetry? 
Posts: 444
Threads: 285
Joined: Nov 2011
(06-15-2013, 11:53 AM)milo Wrote: well, it's good enough for me anyway. At least no one asked what makes /good/ poetry?
Yes. What IS a poem is pretty useless when you're trying
to describe a sunset.
What makes for 'good' writing might be tremendously useful;
though, I have the awful feeling, it would turn out to be
something like 42.
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
Posts: 1,279
Threads: 187
Joined: Dec 2016
(06-15-2013, 02:51 PM)rayheinrich Wrote: (06-15-2013, 11:53 AM)milo Wrote: well, it's good enough for me anyway. At least no one asked what makes /good/ poetry?
Yes. What IS a poem is pretty useless when you're trying
to describe a sunset.
What makes for 'good' writing might be tremendously useful;
though, I have the awful feeling, it would turn out to be
something like 42.
yah, so long . .and thanks for all the fish.
Posts: 444
Threads: 285
Joined: Nov 2011
(06-15-2013, 02:59 PM)milo Wrote: yah, so long . .and thanks for all the fish. Every poem has a porpoise; or, failing that, a fish, probably a salmon.
( Definition of poetry, part XXIV )
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
Posts: 1,568
Threads: 317
Joined: Jun 2011
I think the Vogons have found us.
It could be worse
Posts: 444
Threads: 285
Joined: Nov 2011
The dead swans lay in the stagnant pool.
They lay. They rotted. They turned
Around occasionally.
Bits of flesh dropped off them from
Time to time.
And sank into the pool's mire.
They also smelt a great deal.
- Paula Nancy Millstone Jennings
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
|
