Simplicity in Poetry

[Lizzie]

I write to tell a story.... Or to make a point.

The only real reason to write.

Thinking about this discussion I have concluded that all writing is done in solitude - hence, there is no audience. Good thing too, as it make for poor performance.

What I think the intended argument should be is that you write for your "consumer" as, like I said writing makes for poor performance. In that case, it is based on a rather naive and romantic belief that poetry has some kind of monetary value. It doesn't. Writing for an anticipated consumer is a fools errand. Best to write to tell a story or make a beautiful lyric.

Milo, I do think that the quote in the original post is speaking to those interested in writing books and having them sell, yes. I do want to make it clear that that was not the point of my last comment about writing to connect with people. I know that poetry is not and should not be a get rich quick scheme (or get rich ever). I think it's unfair, though, to say that writing for an audience equates to being a money grubber. If I post my poetry on a blog, I won't get rich. If I submit to magazines and journals I won't get rich. Hell, even if I write a book I know I won't get rich! That's not my goal. I will probably just do a blog with poetry and some of my photography, but I want that work to be accessible and compelling to people.

Why do we post here? It's so that the poetry can be as beautiful as it can be, and that implies a viewer. Why change poems to be anything if there's no reader?