I think it's pretty clear to us who it's about, but I do think poetry in particular loses something every time the author makes illucidating comments about what they wrote. All poetry is, in my mind, meant to be open to interpretation, like Rorsarche (sp?) tests of ourselves.
One of my professors defined poetry as "news that stays news", and I think what he meant is that in your words you must capture something that, even if the objects in your poem cease to be, still has a timeless meaning. The example he gave was how The Convergence of the Twain could just as easily be about September 11 as about the Titanic. It wasn't so much about the Titanic as about the concept of a fateful disaster already waiting to befall you that you cannot concieve.
So I guess it doesn't really matter who it's about in the end, because people will see what they need it to be about. We all just so happen to need it to be about Heath ^^
Um, also, sorry for the gigantic comment. I love talking poetry!meta. I feel like poetry is the closest humans can get to metaphorical alchemy. It's magic.
Nathan is clearly rendered speechless by my insight, lol.
Oh, man, I'm actually really glad you made this gigantic comment. Because, yeah, that's essentially what I was questioning myself about--can I post a poem that will stand in its own context? Will showing the context I wrote it in lessen its ability to be perceived on the clean slate of the reader's mind? I wonder about these things, and have come to very few satisfactory conclusions; mostly I just do whatever I feel like doing when I make the post.
"News that stays news"--that's an awesome definition. ♥
...metaphorical alchemy. Ugh, I love that. What a gorgeous combination of words and ideas. I think that's why I come back to poetry time and time again, and when I'm blocked trying to write other things I come back to poetry. Poetry is really magical for me to write, sometimes.
Also: HI, NATERS. He looks pretty good speechless, if I do say so myself.
One of my professors defined poetry as "news that stays news", and I think what he meant is that in your words you must capture something that, even if the objects in your poem cease to be, still has a timeless meaning. The example he gave was how The Convergence of the Twain could just as easily be about September 11 as about the Titanic. It wasn't so much about the Titanic as about the concept of a fateful disaster already waiting to befall you that you cannot concieve.
So I guess it doesn't really matter who it's about in the end, because people will see what they need it to be about. We all just so happen to need it to be about Heath ^^
Um, also, sorry for the gigantic comment. I love talking poetry!meta. I feel like poetry is the closest humans can get to metaphorical alchemy. It's magic.
Nathan is clearly rendered speechless by my insight, lol.
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"News that stays news"--that's an awesome definition. ♥
...metaphorical alchemy.
Ugh, I love that. What a gorgeous combination of words and ideas. I think that's why I come back to poetry time and time again, and when I'm blocked trying to write other things I come back to poetry. Poetry is really magical for me to write, sometimes.
Also: HI, NATERS. He looks pretty good speechless, if I do say so myself.
Reply
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