11-29-2013, 01:35 AM
A few years back someone gave me an Emily Dickinson poem that was red-penned by a poetry professor. If i can find it i'll post it for the forum to check out. It blew my mind to tell you the truth because he ripped it apart.
Anyway, i think there are two sides to this. Editing is unfortunately a necessary evil if someone wants to become better at their craft. (I'm a hard headed work in progress) But the rules of what poetry is subjective to the writer and reader. If a writer becomes known he/she can do whatever he/she wants artistically and people will still buy it and read it. Bukowski's works have sold millions of copies in many languages and there are a lot of people who would say that he was not a great poet. Ok, well you know what i think sell a few million copies of your work and then tell me what poetry is. Any artistic medium without change becomes redundant.
"Hey Fred, what do you think of my new painting?"
Fred scratched his chin whiskers and contemplated Pablo's bleak future.
"I don't know," he said, "I think there are just too many cubes my friend."
Anyway, i think there are two sides to this. Editing is unfortunately a necessary evil if someone wants to become better at their craft. (I'm a hard headed work in progress) But the rules of what poetry is subjective to the writer and reader. If a writer becomes known he/she can do whatever he/she wants artistically and people will still buy it and read it. Bukowski's works have sold millions of copies in many languages and there are a lot of people who would say that he was not a great poet. Ok, well you know what i think sell a few million copies of your work and then tell me what poetry is. Any artistic medium without change becomes redundant.
"Hey Fred, what do you think of my new painting?"
Fred scratched his chin whiskers and contemplated Pablo's bleak future.
"I don't know," he said, "I think there are just too many cubes my friend."