REALLY ... Just for Fun

[fim]

First, this poem is neither simple in mind or image. There are some well wrought visuals and sophistication culminating in that penultimate stanza. I can relate to your editorial herein, but having written poetry for over thirty years, I can almost guarantee that no legitimate poetry journal or society will consider your work without either a sophisticated use of vocabulary, a new way of approaching themes, a degree of abstraction, a circuitous albeit poetic ride through out and most significantly something fresh and untried. Perhaps, all of the above and more. In some instances a new lexicon needs to be created and minimally stretching the limits of present day word usage. Most of us won't comprehend modern poetry or the old masters for that matter without considerably effort and multiple re-visitations. There is nothing really snooty about it, but it is necessary for their publication consideration. An art gallery doesn't want a child's crayon drawing, but they won't accept a perfect copy of a Van Gough either. It's very difficult to be original in art and literature and it does drive one to their limits. I am not certain if complexity and obscurity is a requisite for the owners and guests of this site, but spurring folks to go beyond the mundane and cliché and same tired stuff is exciting. Their objectives seem genuine and righteous with the goal of providing a viable forum for improving our work. By the way, this was a blast!

Christopher Sea,
Thanks. At this stage in my development insight and understanding seem to occur best reading critiques and striving to embrace the guidance they contain. I want to read poetry and learn from that ... but a lot of the stuff I read I just don't understand, hence the frustration expressed by "Out in the Cold." I can almost guarantee that no legitimate poetry journal or society will consider your work without either a sophisticated use of vocabulary, a new way of approaching themes, a degree of abstraction, a circuitous albeit poetic ride through out and most significantly something fresh and untried. Perhaps, all of the above and more. In some instances a new lexicon needs to be created and minimally stretching the limits present day word usage. contains some really, REALLY good stuff to guide me!
Thanks a bunch,
fim