Oh yes, that's my parade over there... WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IT! STOP DEFECATING ON IT!
Oh classes, you never fail to emotionally cripple me.
I plucked up the courage to bring my poem to class today. Now, let me state that I do not think it is a magical work of pure genius. I get that it is far from perfection, but then again I don't write poetry for the viewing pleasures of others. I write it for me, and occasionally for certain other people. Therefore, all references, emotions, sayings, etc, won't necessarily make sense to everyone else. But still I brought it in.
I have never felt more like shit about something I've done than in the instance. One person ripped it apart so much, with so little use of constructive suggestion, that it seemed almost as if it was a personal attack. It wasn't, I know that, but it truly felt that way. The only thing I felt was at all useful from anyone was some praise from the professor and a fellow student who attempted valiantly to defend me.
So here's a little rebuttal I was too flustered/heartbroken to say in class.
Poetry does not have to be magical. It does not have to be whimsical. It does not need to be littered with grand metaphors and cliches. It does not have to be understood by every individual reader that comes along, and if it is not, it is not the fault or "failure" (as it was put) of the poet.
Poetry does have to be from the heart. It does have to be real to you. It does not have to abide by a strict set of rules, as the point is to know them and break them. It does not have to seem complicated to be complicated. It must be understandable to the poet, because the poet is the only one who matters. If a reader does not understand the nature of the intertextuality, than it is their decision to look it up or ignore it, but it is their decision. It is not like writing a book, it does not have to explain every step, else it looses it's simplistic essence.
I shouldn't have to defend myself, and I regret reading something so personal, but I am very upset by people trying to impose a set of rules on me that aren't real.
I plucked up the courage to bring my poem to class today. Now, let me state that I do not think it is a magical work of pure genius. I get that it is far from perfection, but then again I don't write poetry for the viewing pleasures of others. I write it for me, and occasionally for certain other people. Therefore, all references, emotions, sayings, etc, won't necessarily make sense to everyone else. But still I brought it in.
I have never felt more like shit about something I've done than in the instance. One person ripped it apart so much, with so little use of constructive suggestion, that it seemed almost as if it was a personal attack. It wasn't, I know that, but it truly felt that way. The only thing I felt was at all useful from anyone was some praise from the professor and a fellow student who attempted valiantly to defend me.
So here's a little rebuttal I was too flustered/heartbroken to say in class.
Poetry does not have to be magical. It does not have to be whimsical. It does not need to be littered with grand metaphors and cliches. It does not have to be understood by every individual reader that comes along, and if it is not, it is not the fault or "failure" (as it was put) of the poet.
Poetry does have to be from the heart. It does have to be real to you. It does not have to abide by a strict set of rules, as the point is to know them and break them. It does not have to seem complicated to be complicated. It must be understandable to the poet, because the poet is the only one who matters. If a reader does not understand the nature of the intertextuality, than it is their decision to look it up or ignore it, but it is their decision. It is not like writing a book, it does not have to explain every step, else it looses it's simplistic essence.
I shouldn't have to defend myself, and I regret reading something so personal, but I am very upset by people trying to impose a set of rules on me that aren't real.