True confession. Yes, I have a degree in English literature. Yes, I’ve read the “Faerie Queen” and “Leaves of Grass”. No, I don’t read poetry.
Why? Like most readers, I don’t get poetry. It’s difficult to read. It takes effort and time. I like to read stuff I quickly understand. Stuff which enters my brain and instantly computes. Granted, I’ve enjoyed poetry, sometimes. Especially when it’s explained to me!
But wait a minute, I write poetry! How is this possible?
I started writing poetry as soon as I learned how to use a pen. Poems just came out of me. How did I know what a poem was? Well, I was read to as a child. Bedtime stories were the poems of A. A. Milne and Robert Louis Stevenson. My mom disapproved of Dr. Suess, but she read me many other books like the long poem, “Madeline”. This doesn’t entirely explain my knack for writing free verse, but it will have to do for now.
So my apologies to all the poets in the world, alive and dead. I do read your stuff from time to time. Especially when you thrust it in front of my nose. And if it’s easy to read; if it flies off the page and into my brain and gives me that “Ahhhh” feeling, which a brilliant combination of words tends to do; I thank you! And I keep on writing in my quest to pass that feeling on to you.
I think we may be kindred spirits;) This is the first poem from my first published poetry book:
A Plea to Poetry Readers!
Why can’t people say what they mean?
Speaking clearly to listening ears,
Not intoning riddles pompously
and boring me to tears.
I like my poetry succinct.
Nicely put. but to the point.
I hate that flowery mannered stuff.
I yearn to scream and quit the joint.
So if by some unlikely twist,
this rhyme’s o be read out of a book
read it simply without airs,
or risk being felled by my swift right hook.
Now this isn’t an example of ‘good’ poetry but I write my poetry the way I prepare meals – some are ‘junk’ – fast easily ingested, fun in their own way, okay now and then but hardly sustaining as a complete diet. I try to provide the wholesome ‘quality’ stuff with good ingredients, prepared carefully and presented well, as often as possible – but even then I avoid what could only be enjoyed as an ‘acquired’ taste by a sophisticated palate.
My serious stuff is on my poems-2-share blog and my funny/quirky silly stuff on my poetry4fun blog. Pop in and take a look. Some of my books (among books by others) are being given away in a first anniversay celebration at a friend’s website – details available on my personal blog – linked to from my signature here.
Great to meet a kindred spirit, Michele!