Simplicity in Poetry

[milo]

Eh - I wouldn't agree with this that. If everyone here said it was shit there is a pretty good chance it would be shit. I would most likely work to write better.  Initially, like most, everything I wrote was shit and I was told so in pretty clear terms.

The thing is, shit isn't really subjective, taste is. If a poem is good but not to my taste it is still good.  There are usually some pretty objective reasons that poetry is shit or what is holding it back. Avoiding writing shit poetry isn't writing for an audience, it certainly isn't knowing your audience and it isn't writing for yourself.

It is . . .

Writing to produce a poem.

(Also, agree with Leanne, writing to be read is utterly pointless, but if I were to start doing that I would most likely do something with my writing other than occasionally posting it here)

((I do like the end of the rant though - writing inspired by reading. Nothing quite like reading a great poem and thinking, "I want to write that!". Still just writing to make a poem though - no target audience, no writing for myself, etc.)

you're missing the point. you are writing to satisfy a standard that is not necessarily your own. it is all very well for you and Leanne to say 'write for poetry' [i still can't get my head around that--as if that is something different from writing for a third party subjectivity], but you are obviously good at it. if everyone said your not then you would either say 'fuck you! you don't get it' or try to conform to their standard. . . which is clearly not your own.

i missed the last part of you message "no target audience". . . you cannot really believe that! you are far too smart! of course you have a target audience! oh well, you are funny

I, of course, never said "write for poetry"

Where do you come up with this stuff?

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(Also, agree with Leanne, writing to be read is utterly pointless, but if I were to start doing that I would most likely do something with my writing other than occasionally posting it here)

You are killing me Milo. Dead on the floor. Not literally, only in the most modern of senses.

Writing to be read is utterly pointless, eh? Well, that's it then. I put down the pen, forever.

What if I read my own poems out loud to myself, is that pointless too?

What if I write poems to share here at the Pen, in the for fun forum. That's what I like doing, not taking things too seriously, having a mutual, virtual laugh with like minded others, is that pointless too?

What if I want to write a poem for my child, something they can tuck away and keep as a reminder of what I saw in their youth? Something to remember the good times between us when I'm gone? Pointless? I suppose so.

I think there is a confusion over what it means to "write to be read"

I am thinking it is on your part but if it is on mine then I apologize.