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Question: Real, adult poets only, please!!?
Are any other poets out there a bit disappointed with the offerings here on Yahoo Answers!?
Anyone else weary of Seussian rhyme and angst-ridden tortured teenager pap!?
And, are we doing these people a favor by telling them these alleged poems are good, or are we merely setting them up for a series of rejections and disappointments!? I've always thought that being honest, telling them that perhaps they should try another form of expression, is preferable to encouraging them!.
Constructive answers, please!.
(Yes, I'm a published poet and hold a Bachelor's in Literature!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Actually, you'd be surprised to find that there are many educated, published poets here in Y!A poetry and I don't mean through 'poetry!.com'!. I understand your disappointment because many have expressed the same concerns!. However, many of us have had this discussion and have come to the conclusion that everyone has the right to express themselves through poetry even if we don't enjoy it!.
There are just as many genres of poets as there are poems and, believe it or not, there is an audience for them all!. Many of these poets you are reading are novice or very young and deserve our support!. They should be encouraged whenever possible!. That doesn't mean that idle praise is ever warranted or beneficial!. Therefore, If the poem has no redeeming value then the best recourse is to just move on to the next poem!. However, if it has potential and could benefit from a constructive and kind critique then, by all means, offer assistance!. I don't mean to sound like I am preaching, but everyone should be free to express their feelings, angst, art, etc, in the manner they please!. This is just my opinion!.
On another note, there is a rather large group of poets who are quite good and often refer to themselves as "The Minion"!. Check out my contacts and you'll find some very impressive poets there!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
wow
you have a great opinion
you are presuading me
i think i agree with you
:)
you are a very serious person
(Like me)
:)
reading your statement was exhilarating!Www@QuestionHome@Com
I've always hoped that people don't write off my poetry as mindless 'teenage pap'!. I'm a published poet too - three poems in anthologies, four on assorted poetry websites, and one short story in an anthology!. I am nearly 16!. I make it my mission to write about things that are not 'angst-ridden' and 'tortured'!. In fact, I focus mainly on haikus and sonnets, usually about seasons and nature!. If people don't like my poetry, that's fine!. But I don't think that they're setting me up for a series of rejections - people do like my poetry, they have done since I was about 8 years old!. I've won the Bardic chair twice, beating about 700 others, so hopefully the form of expression that I've chosen is suitable to be encouraged!.
I'm sorry if most of the teenage poetry you have read has not been 'real' to you, I really am, because a lot of it is just as good as the poetry of adults!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I'm going to be honest!. I think poetry is too easy to write!. And I am disappointed by the teenage angsy whiny emo crap teens are writing about nowadays!. They don't have new ideas when they complain about their supposedly pathetic lives!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Everyone starts somewhere!.!.!.and poetry is barely taught in schools anymore!. I graduated from high school 5 years ago and I remember studying poetry for about a week in 11th grade!. So offering your constructive criticism and extensive knowledge could be very helpful to many aspiring poets in this section!.
also, if expressing feelings through poetry can help one "angst-ridden teenager" out of hurting themselves or others, than I think it is worth it!. Almost all teenagers go through the "misunderstood," "everyone hates me" stage!.!.!.especially ones with poor childhoods!.!.!.so I would not write their poetry off completely, they are laying their emotions bare for themselves and others to see!.
You don't have to tell them it is good, but you don't have to be harsh either!. Offer constructive criticism or move on to another posting!.
EDIT IN RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENT TO NEONMAN:
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions!. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great!."
-Mark TwainWww@QuestionHome@Com
Poet, I am happy for you and your accomplishments!. I am also weary of people purporting to be accomplished without posting for others to view!. Let us view yours and then we will come back for comment!. As a side note, there are a lot of other sites that offer more rigid critique!. Perhaps you would find one of them more to your liking!. I am a realist, I keep a day job, but I also find pleasure in penning words!. Could they be better, of course!. Could yours, probably as well!. I think we should encourage all who want to try, not tell them that which they find pleasure and release in is terrible!. They will soon realize themselves if they are not suited for penning words in poetic fashion!.
Poet; It is also sad, for I expected this pompous response from you!. You need to reread the definition of poet!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Seussian rhyme and angst-ridden poetry (if it can be called that!.!.!.i suppose thats up to interpretation) are stereotypes of poetry!. I know when i was in grade school poetry for me was all rhyme and no point!. After a class in high-school and some in college i have a deeper appreciation for the art!.
What i think people forget is that poetry isn't just those two styles and it encompasses alot more then angst and rhyming!. People fall into the stereotype and play to it thinking thats all there is to poetry!.
Another thing i think younger writers forget is to show don't tell!. They tell us everything but don't show us anything which makes the poems drab!. This lesson was repeatedly beaten into my head in my classes!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Poet, I applaud your obvious accomplishments as a published poet and holder of a Bachelor's in Literature!. These accomplishments of yours are impressive indeed!. However, helping others is a far higher standard in life!. Put downs are equal in fervor to let downs!. I'd love to see some of your work!. You have us at a bit of a disadvantage in that regard!. There are many talented writers here!. MANY! Be wary of those you test!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I respect honesty more than anything when I ask a person to tell me what they think of my poems!. When you lie to someone about their writing, I don't think you're setting them up for a series of rejections and disappointments, you're just giving them a false sense of accomplishment!. Either that, or you create doubt in their mind, and confuse them!. I'll use myself as an example!. When I post stuff on here, I feel it's not all that great, yet i have people telling me it's great!. There's always one or two to say otherwise, which would agree with my feelings on the subject!. It creates a sense of confusion!.!.!. I'm not sure who's honest, who's just trying to be nice, who just wants their two points, etc!.
I'm not much of a poet; I'd agree to that!. I never claimed to be a very good poet!. also, I may fall in to this group you're talking about (i'm a teen of 18 years)!. That's not for me to decide though!. I would appreciate it if you'd take a look at some of my posts!. From you, I feel I could truly get an honest answer!.!.!.
http://answers!.yahoo!.com/question/index;!.!.!.That link I've posted takes you to one of my questions, which also has a link!. The link in that question'll take you to a site that has all of my poems (not many)!. If you have the time and feel like it, go right ahead, and just tell me what ya think of some of my stuff in the answers section on my question!.
Thanks!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com
I was born a poet and grew into a teenager!. My teenage years were my most productive as far as output, it's a given that they weren't good; in fact, most of them were a repetition of one another!. I played with the same words and schemes over and over -- the same emotions as well!. Every now and then that would shift into something new; I would were that out as well!. The thing is !. !. !. I was learning!.
It's like learning to play guitar!. If, at first, all you know are the G,D, and C chords -- go to town playing all the songs you know with that progression!. I can't see Jimmy Page telling some youngster "That's the third song you've played with that progression!. Give up, and stop bothering us accomplished artist here on Y!A's!."
Or, Picasso telling some kid his refrigerator art sucks!.
"Your last four finger paints had that same tree!. Would you stop posting on the fridge!? I am a world famous painter and I want my Cezanne up there!."
Does a basic knowledge of prosody make you pompous!?
Does the lack of it make you not a poet!?Www@QuestionHome@Com