Do you save all your poetry?

Question: Do you save all your poetry!?

Most of the poems I post here go in the trash after a few days!. For example, a couple of stanzas written about a Phoenix landing on Mars is not in my mind a worthwhile poem, just a five-minute complaint about an overused metaphor!. It goes 'bye 'bye tomorrow!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Yes, I save all my poems!. Every poet has their own way of "saving" their poems, but what I found works best for me is to "number" all my poems in the order they were written!.!.!.the first poem is saved under the name of "poem1!.doc" and then list them on an index (poemindex!.doc) so I can search for a specific title by name!. It helps me go back and see how the poetry has developed over time, where it came amongst others, and it allows me to do a quick search for a poem based on a single word in the title (using the index)!. I keep all of them, complete, incomplete, good and bad!.!.!.because every poem "had" something to say, and if I said it poorly, I may want to say it again!.!.!.and if it was only a few lines or a subject, if I didn't save it, it might evaporate from my memory and I'd never get a chance to go back and pick up the pieces!. also, I do not overwrite my poetry with edits!.!.!.I simply put a letter after the name so I know which version it was!.!.!.for example, poem222b!.doc would be the second edit of poem222!.doc, poem222a would be the first edit!.!.!.that way I can go back and look to see if my edits improved the poem or made it worse!.!.!.or went in a totally new direction!.

so!.!.!.I'd save your "bye bye tomorrow" with that as the title and any notes you want to remember later!.!.!.even if they aren't poetic, like, "about pheonix landing on mars"!.!.!.that way if/when you go back to it, you'll understand the context!.

!.!.!.write, save!.!.!.revisit!.!.!.but keep writingWww@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, I save my poetry - both computer and hard copy!. There are poems that are not very good - I'm being kind - lol!. But what I find, is that sometimes in a lousy poem, I've had written one good line!. That line will propel me to write a good poem!. So every now and then I look back at my poems - good and bad - and either smile, get a good idea, or say to myself, whatever was I thinking! - lol!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There have been a few from long ago that were trash at best so they were put there where they belong!.For the most part, yes I keep my poetry, I have a collection of around 800 poems to date!. Some are published and some are not, Some are in the 2 books I have out and some are in books with others that were specifically designed for a specific charity!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Saving all my writings has been invaluable to me!. Like stripping parts from a car, there have been many I've taken certain phrases, or words and run with it, developing a completely different poem entirely!.

also, you grow and change and improve!. I revise my older things and bring them up to par!. Great fodder for days when you can't come up with new ideas!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have my poetry from 3rd grade! I l love to see my improvement, and thankfully I've gotten much better since then!.
I never throw it away, cause even if it's stupid I love to look back on it!. It's also nice to look at poems that weren't from long ago, but were like journal entries about how I felt!. I could write a poem about cafeteria food, and when I read it later, it will bring me back and make me smile!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I save all of the poems that I set out to write!. If it's for an exercise I may not save it, but if it becomes mostly a finished piece I definitely save it!. I use it to gauge the changes and growth in my writing!. It is also good to read if I begin to think too highly of myself!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Board of Directors of the Poetry Section, Department of Screed and Trash, has requested that I obliterate my entire output - past, present, and future!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Since seventeen yes, 99% , I also have journals from the last 26 years, Should burn some of those one of these days!.
Don't save all the shorties posted on here!.

I doubt I have written as many as you have!.
I also have many unfinished!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Most of my work for the last few years have been written in word or worpad, and the ones I don't consider good enough to save get a no answer to save your changes to document 1!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yup, I save all my poetry
Mostly it's just to see my improvement, but when I'm bored I can just go back and read them =) Oh, and sometimes for inspiration and thingsWww@QuestionHome@Com

I saved most of my poems on my computer!. I've also written some down in a book and gave it to someone for them to keep!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I usually throw mine away unless it was something special or one i wrote for my son!.!.I noticed yesterday i had some put away and read them and laughed as they brought back some memories!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, I save my poetry!. I like to look back at all of my dumb thoughts, since when I write I am usually feeling upset or bored!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I save almost all of mine!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I keep my poetry!. I may not be able to find it when I want to, but it is somewhere!.!.!.!.!.!.!. :-)Www@QuestionHome@Com

i keep my poemsWww@QuestionHome@Com