10-24-2018, 10:08 AM
I'm a picky reader. If a poem doesn't connect to me in some way, then I lose interest. That doesn't mean the poem is bad, it just means I'm a selfish reader, who feels everything needs to be about me on some level. I think that's why I'm drawn to confessional poets like Plath and Bukowski. It's easy to empathize with their feelings because they're so damn good at expressing them. To me, a poem isn't worth reading if it isn't rooted in strong emotion.
I never even thought about critiquing a poem before joining this site. To be honest, I found some of my first critiques absolutely nerve wrecking. Even now, I have moments where after I write a critique I wonder if I said something about the poem that was just completely insane, but then there are times I say something that the poet really responds to, and that's what makes the critique worthwhile. I find now I am often motivated to write a critique because as I read the poem, something came to my mind that I feel would help make it stronger. My day job is as a teacher, so I think it's just part of my personality to want to help people improve, whether they be students or fellow aspiring poets.
I never even thought about critiquing a poem before joining this site. To be honest, I found some of my first critiques absolutely nerve wrecking. Even now, I have moments where after I write a critique I wonder if I said something about the poem that was just completely insane, but then there are times I say something that the poet really responds to, and that's what makes the critique worthwhile. I find now I am often motivated to write a critique because as I read the poem, something came to my mind that I feel would help make it stronger. My day job is as a teacher, so I think it's just part of my personality to want to help people improve, whether they be students or fellow aspiring poets.
Time is the best editor.