tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12844162.post115255303094170760..comments2024-03-20T05:30:28.856-04:00Comments on __Chicks Dig Poetry__: ClaritySandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02108785153248826337noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12844162.post-1152937937188876782006-07-15T00:32:00.000-04:002006-07-15T00:32:00.000-04:00meathouse floor. that's all i'm saying.meathouse floor. that's all i'm saying.32poems.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16729075268073757529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12844162.post-1152825505648711322006-07-13T17:18:00.000-04:002006-07-13T17:18:00.000-04:00Thanks Don, Carly and radmom, for the comments. T...Thanks Don, Carly and radmom, for the comments. The caveat against "all style and no content" rings *very* true for me--I always want to have the sense of an outside situation/conflict that is being addressed, even if the speaker is skating around a clear narrative. <BR/><BR/>I like that idea of experimenting with the style for a bit (say, through my time at Millay), then taking the best-of and appealing to an outside reader. Which pinpoints one of those basic writer tics: I want to go my own way, yet I still seek outside validation. Eh. <BR/><BR/>Carly, I think the point that resistance = intent is encouraging...unless I'm just being defensive. It's like the kids who refuse to ever use basic grammatical marks or experiment with line breaks, and respond to prodding with "but it's my style!" Here's to hoping I may be *slightly* more experienced, and therefore maybe a bit better equipped to experiment. Maybe.Sandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02108785153248826337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12844162.post-1152715362808641352006-07-12T10:42:00.000-04:002006-07-12T10:42:00.000-04:00I think you know where the poetry is and that is w...I think you know where the poetry is and that is what matters. This is what I say to my students. Workshop is meant to open your eyes to process, but you are the one to turn process to product. If you feel this resistance to their comments, that means you strongly want to go where you are. That's where I want my chariot!Carlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07418956848321901824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12844162.post-1152715311521141662006-07-12T10:41:00.000-04:002006-07-12T10:41:00.000-04:00I sometimes think with workshops we should do the ...I sometimes think with workshops we should do the opposite of what the other poets say. That's because they're like market test groups: you get middle of the road if you listen to them completely. Therefore, I wonder what would happen if you rewrote a poem that kept what they disliked, and went further in that direction. <BR/><BR/>I think you're going the right direction by trying to use different types of syntax, going away from clarity toward stranger, weirder images. I think a good mixture can be found, an approach that combines your strengths in developing realistic narratives/images and a more voice-driven, surreal style. I would say experiment more; just do exercises, change things up, without worrying about the results. <BR/><BR/>My style is seemingly surreal, but I also use a lot of sentences, straight prose syntax. Mark Doty wanted me to change things up, to use phrases, break things up, etc. But I have a huge distrust of work that seems to have all style and no content (or comprehensible content). Jorie Graham is my main example of that. I worry about an elliptical style, all voice, overwhelming the meaning or story I'm trying to tell. Some of the stuff I read seems like "Emperors New Clothes" poetry. It sounds nice, but waht does it really say?Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13556663035451699295noreply@blogger.com