"Poetry And Great Poetry"
7 Comments - Show Original Blog

Good poetry never seems to win poetry contests all tied up in form and vocabulary. The more obscure the better.

You are dead right about emotion because psychologists have learned that emotion is required to place a long term memory on the brain. We only remember poems that touch us emotionally. The reason we probably remember a poem that we memorized was a combination of repetition and fear--fear of failure.

It's never the whole poem that I remember. It is always a phrase from a poem, a book, or a song that stands out and I remember all my life.

Greatness for me will not come from becoming a poet laureate or other personality, but from a phrase from one of my poems that becomes part of the culture…

"To be or not to be… That is the question."

Ron

6/20/2015 7:18:56 AM [ Report Abuse ]

Belle, I know I have probably told you this before. But I promised myself I would ascribe to Johhny Cash's views on writing good songs, "keep it from the heart and down to earth". May peace love and joy be always with you my friend. Jon Michael

8/30/2010 4:47:22 PM [ Report Abuse ]

Yes, Poetess Of The Heart! "No tears for the writer, no tears for the reader; no smiles for the writer, no smiles for the reader". And I, being lack in writing and keeping up since the beginning of the year, do not remember who quoted that. You are spot on!

In Spirit,
Bear

8/14/2010 4:42:03 PM [ Report Abuse ]

Truth spoken here. Practice what you preach, and you do it well, is one of the old adages that have stuck with me all these years. If you do not, someone will quickly point out your flaws. I think one reason we have a dead poets society here, is that we do not practice what we preach in our reviews and let it be felt there, what we feel, as well as in the poetry we write. Dead wood accumulates. We should be as quick to tactfully and constructively say it with love, when it is constructive criticism as when we flower on the praise.

8/12/2010 8:22:33 PM [ Report Abuse ]

My poetic response...
We have a Bingo.

Yes- throw your soul on the paper- squeeze every ounce of reality out of it- bleed words...
Let it happen- and only share when it does.

John

8/12/2010 5:31:35 PM [ Report Abuse ]

I completely agree with your thoughts on what "poetry" really is. Thank you. Love and best wishes,

Regis

8/12/2010 8:58:26 AM [ Report Abuse ]

"The day I cannot feel what I write, I will lay the pen down. Give me a simple expression of honest emotion..."

I couldn't agree more, La Belle. Keep On, Keepin On.

8/12/2010 6:00:09 AM [ Report Abuse ]