POETRY, ANYONE?
Do you read poetry? If you do, that's so cool. Many people don't. Do you write poetry? If the answer is yes, I am a fan of yours forever. Contrary to what many people over the years (and today) believe, we poets are not a bunch of weird, sitting-in-the-dark, whining or spewing, radicals.
Poets are everyday, ordinary, walk-of-the-life writers who can touch your funny bone, or your soul, in a special way. They have a certain magic that allows them to see the world around them (or in their imagination) uniquely.
If you aren't into poetry, do me a favor? Go to a bookstore or library, sneak into the poetry aisle, pull a book down (I will bet you recognize some of the names of poets there), choose a secluded spot, sit down and choose a few poems to read. Many times when we immerse ourselves in a new craft, we want to try it out ourselves. That's what happened to me--long ago Daddy read poetry to me at night and by the age of ten I was creating birthday and holiday lines for everyone.
Recently I read (in "The Writer's Chronicle") an interview of poet Alan Shapiro by poet Christian Teresi. Alan said he started writing poetry, indirectly, because of a broken nose and wrist. At the time, he listed to a lot of folk music and rock and roll; his early poetry seemed to follow those lines.
In my Texas home, Mama always had the radio, tuned to a Country/Western music station. Especially in the 1940's and 1950's, those songs told stories. When I really got into writing poetry mode, my work was a story in rhymed form. It was a few years before I broke out into that broken-hearted teenage angst and patriotic overtures in my poetry. Like Alan Shapiro points out, life presents great subject material for poetry.
Going through the slow, painful failure of a marriage years ago, drew poetry out of me that reflected that stage of my life. When I divorced there were lines of regret, guilt--and then freedom. And, several years after that upheavel, and much to my surprise, finding (or he found me) my true soul mate, gave a definite pure joy uplift to my poetry.
These days my poetry is a cry for our broken country, for young, damaged returning warriors, for disenfrangised people, and a deep thankfulness to God who has blessed my life in all ways. I haven't come full circle yet--I'm not writing twanging country lines yet. But I imagine that's on the horizon.
Read it. Write it. Poetry is life's truth in song form.
Poets are everyday, ordinary, walk-of-the-life writers who can touch your funny bone, or your soul, in a special way. They have a certain magic that allows them to see the world around them (or in their imagination) uniquely.
If you aren't into poetry, do me a favor? Go to a bookstore or library, sneak into the poetry aisle, pull a book down (I will bet you recognize some of the names of poets there), choose a secluded spot, sit down and choose a few poems to read. Many times when we immerse ourselves in a new craft, we want to try it out ourselves. That's what happened to me--long ago Daddy read poetry to me at night and by the age of ten I was creating birthday and holiday lines for everyone.
Recently I read (in "The Writer's Chronicle") an interview of poet Alan Shapiro by poet Christian Teresi. Alan said he started writing poetry, indirectly, because of a broken nose and wrist. At the time, he listed to a lot of folk music and rock and roll; his early poetry seemed to follow those lines.
In my Texas home, Mama always had the radio, tuned to a Country/Western music station. Especially in the 1940's and 1950's, those songs told stories. When I really got into writing poetry mode, my work was a story in rhymed form. It was a few years before I broke out into that broken-hearted teenage angst and patriotic overtures in my poetry. Like Alan Shapiro points out, life presents great subject material for poetry.
Going through the slow, painful failure of a marriage years ago, drew poetry out of me that reflected that stage of my life. When I divorced there were lines of regret, guilt--and then freedom. And, several years after that upheavel, and much to my surprise, finding (or he found me) my true soul mate, gave a definite pure joy uplift to my poetry.
These days my poetry is a cry for our broken country, for young, damaged returning warriors, for disenfrangised people, and a deep thankfulness to God who has blessed my life in all ways. I haven't come full circle yet--I'm not writing twanging country lines yet. But I imagine that's on the horizon.
Read it. Write it. Poetry is life's truth in song form.
posted by Barb | 8:08 PM
1 Comments:
How true! I too started writing poetry the first time my heart was shattered as a teenager. I haven't spent any time on it lately, but do love it. My sister-in-law surprised me with her poetry skills with the invitation to her daughter's birthday party. I posted it on my blog, with her permission of course. :)
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