I wouldn't have thought of that! I guess I was pretty narrowly focused when writing it, though. I feel kind of awkward about posting this poem, like, does it need an author's note that it's about Heath? But I also didn't really want to force an interpretation on anyone, so. I don't know.
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
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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.
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I've been so longing for this and just - thank you. You know. Thank you.
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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 ( ... )
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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.
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