489: Backward Poem

[exceptindreams]

"Backward Poem

Comments

[shoelaceswitch]

I love love love love love love love this.

So, I think I might love Bob Hicok. Do you find the ones you post of his from a particular book?

I have a poem on a poster ("Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann) and part of Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" tattooed on my back, so that's how I sometimes force poetry upon people. Other than that, I can't say I really try.

[the_real_etoile]

I found one of them in Garrison Keiller's Good Poems, but the rest I found on the Internet.

I don't try either, but someone asked me how, so I figured I'd pose the question.

[lindsiecmarie]

trick them into liking it:
find something you know will resonate with them, whether it is because of the form or the content or the syntax or on any other front- if they find one, they might be curious as to the existence of others that speak to them. also, don't bombard them with any technical points, such as analyzing meaning or talking about the author. let the poem speak to them, let them soak it up and appreciate it for their self...

it worked for me; i accidentally tricked myself into liking it if you can believe that... :)

[gethenian]

Oh wow this is an amazing piece

[cougarfang]

I'm inclined to agree with this method :) A few well-chosen lines can pierce to the heart more directly than a full poem, oftentimes. And certainly a long poem, however beautiful, can intimidate and overwhelm, and turn them off because they're not willing to put in the effort to try to comprehend something they've decided they don't understand at all.

[iinkaholic]

agreed! i got sooo lucky to have a great poetry-loving english teacher; she would read poems to her class every once in awhile, not as classwork, but "for your soul." she would say "just let it sit there." and no analyzing or discussion was required unless we wanted to talk about it. which usually, we did. best part of the day.

[_mercurymorning]

This poem is beautiful! What an interesting perspective on life and death.
Another great post!

As for the 'showing poetry to someone who hates it', I have to agree with lindsiecmarie entirely!

[eavanmoore]

What a tender balancing of celebration and grief. He starts off trying to undo, and you think at first he's not going to be successful because you can see where it's going, but by the end to concede he hasn't undone anything at all, he's just created something new and precious.