how to write poetry

[Bronte]

I was doing house keeping from lots of links I used ten years ago or more.

this one gave me a lot of insight back then. any of you blokes need to fight about this list between yourselves but!
because he says so perfectly what works for me when reading

http://www.danagioia.net/essays/e13ways.htm

[tectak]

I was doing house keeping from lots of links I used ten years ago or more.

this one gave me a lot of insight back then. any of you blokes need to fight about this list between yourselves but!
because he says so perfectly what works for me when reading

http://www.danagioia.net/essays/e13ways.htm

Ya,boo, hiss; what does he know?
....and anyway, he is talking about WRITING not reading........and frankly, I agree with him almost unequivocally. Says something about me, I suppose.

[rayheinrich]

Gioia is a 'lineation' crazy man* (and one of those people I HATE
because they do 100000 things while I'm trying to figure out 1.)


Even better: When used as a prescriptive, they work just fine.


*Being one myself, the disease is easy to recognize.

[Bronte]

Gioia is a 'lineation' crazy man* (and one of those people I HATE
because they do 100000 things while I'm trying to figure out 1.)


Even better: When used as a prescriptive, they work just fine.


*Being one myself, the disease is easy to recognize.

but if you read his own poetry he forgets the rules . I dont like his poetry!! but I like his ideas

[rayheinrich]

Hmm, well, he does seem to do that. Remind me to stay ambiguous
(if you should ever see otherwise). His writing seems fine to me,
though, yes, a bit too "pop" for my prickled taste.

(Or are my feelings skewed by envy? Of course they are.
Damn, I just HATE successful, people.)

But here's one of his I quite liked:


        Pity the Beautiful
        
        Pity the beautiful,
        the dolls, and the dishes,
        the babes with big daddies
        granting their wishes.
        
        Pity the pretty boys,
        the hunks, and Apollos,
        the golden lads whom
        success always follows.
        
        The hotties, the knock-outs,
        the tens out of ten,
        the drop-dead gorgeous,
        the great leading men.
        
        Pity the faded,
        the bloated, the blowsy,
        the paunchy Adonis
        whose luck’s gone lousy.
        
        Pity the gods,
        no longer divine.
        Pity the night
        the stars lose their shine. 
        
        - Dana Gioia

There are more at his site:
http://www.danagioia.net/index.html

[Bronte]

Hmm, well, he does seem to do that. Remind me to stay ambiguous
(if you should ever see otherwise). His writing seems fine to me,
though, yes, a bit too "pop" for my prickled taste.

(Or are my feelings skewed by envy? Of course they are.
Damn, I just HATE successful, people.)

But here's one of his I quite liked:


        Pity the Beautiful
        
        Pity the beautiful,
        the dolls, and the dishes,
        the babes with big daddies
        granting their wishes.
        
        Pity the pretty boys,
        the hunks, and Apollos,
        the golden lads whom
        success always follows.
        
        The hotties, the knock-outs,
        the tens out of ten,
        the drop-dead gorgeous,
        the great leading men.
        
        Pity the faded,
        the bloated, the blowsy,
        the paunchy Adonis
        whose luck’s gone lousy.
        
        Pity the gods,
        no longer divine.
        Pity the night
        the stars lose their shine. 
        
        - Dana Gioia

There are more at his site:
http://www.danagioia.net/index.html

hmmm! yes and a perfect example of strong words to the end of lines read them down one after the other very nice.. though the few poems I have caome acroos I was not taken with.. bad luck maybe?

[ellajam]

interesting link.

#9(of course)

Each line should have some independent expressive force. Filling out a pattern is not sufficient justification for a line of verse. It should have some independent vitality in musical, imaginative, or narrative terms. The individual line is the microcosm of the total poem. It should embody the virtues of the whole. That is one reason that poetry can be quoted with such advantage.

[rayheinrich]

I have another to add:

When writing poetry, you should endeavor to write good.
If you do happen to write bad, be sure to change it to good.



Successful people rub your nose in their shit
And smile when you say you like it.

[ellajam]

I have another to add:

When writing poetry, you should endeavor to write good.
If you do happen to write bad, be sure to change it to good.



Successful people rub your nose in their shit
And smile when you say you like it.

And if you can't make it good, attempt another with the capability of changing to better, at least learning what can't be made good. (bangs head against wall)