Comments on: Confessions of a Poemphobe http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/ Neil Kramer is a writer in Los Angeles (well, New York now). Citizen of the Month is his blog. Make yourself at home. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:31:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: kristen http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-216011 kristen Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:18:33 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-216011 p.s. After seeing Billy Collins read at the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival, one of my friends and I declared him "The Jerry Seinfeld of poetry". His use of humor has gone a long way toward getting people to accept the notion of poetry as entertainment. Still not as entertaining as figure skating (love it), but pretty good. p.s. After seeing Billy Collins read at the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival, one of my friends and I declared him “The Jerry Seinfeld of poetry”. His use of humor has gone a long way toward getting people to accept the notion of poetry as entertainment. Still not as entertaining as figure skating (love it), but pretty good.

]]> By: kristen http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-216010 kristen Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:15:38 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-216010 These are great columns. I haven't read the other comments so maybe I'm being repetitive here, but, as a poet, what I go for is to write something that both feels visceral and tells a story -- a very confined one -- from the gut level. I feel like it's the same process as short story writing, except instead of your higher brain writing it, it's being written by your pituitary gland or medulla oblangata. You're not entirely aware of what's happening until it's over, then you read it back and say "Yeah. That's totally what I was trying to say." I guess you run the risk that people will scratch their heads and say "Huh?", but I usually find that my Inner Reader is almost as objective as anyone else's. If I read what my brain stem wrote and it makes sense to my Higher Brain, it seems to make sense to other people too. As for appropriate comments or reactions to poetry, I think highlighting the stanzas you like best and saying how they make you feel -- e.g. "beautiful" or "wow" -- is more than sufficient, if the poet in question is writing for general readers and not for other poets. These are great columns. I haven’t read the other comments so maybe I’m being repetitive here, but, as a poet, what I go for is to write something that both feels visceral and tells a story — a very confined one — from the gut level. I feel like it’s the same process as short story writing, except instead of your higher brain writing it, it’s being written by your pituitary gland or medulla oblangata. You’re not entirely aware of what’s happening until it’s over, then you read it back and say “Yeah. That’s totally what I was trying to say.”

I guess you run the risk that people will scratch their heads and say “Huh?”, but I usually find that my Inner Reader is almost as objective as anyone else’s. If I read what my brain stem wrote and it makes sense to my Higher Brain, it seems to make sense to other people too.

As for appropriate comments or reactions to poetry, I think highlighting the stanzas you like best and saying how they make you feel — e.g. “beautiful” or “wow” — is more than sufficient, if the poet in question is writing for general readers and not for other poets.

]]> By: SB http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215997 SB Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:44:59 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215997 Ah, you're in luck -- There's a new Thursday Poetry site, though it's not called that. <a href="http://totallyoptionalprompts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Totally Optional Prompts</a> The prompts go up on Saturday; links go up on Thursday, and ongoing. What I like to know from those who read my poems is what they feel, think, experience as they read. Technical critiques are welcome, too (not all poets welcome that.) And I like to know if something doesn't make sense, or is confusing. It's helpful to know that. Ah, you’re in luck — There’s a new Thursday Poetry site, though it’s not called that.

Totally Optional Prompts

The prompts go up on Saturday; links go up on Thursday, and ongoing.

What I like to know from those who read my poems is what they feel, think, experience as they read. Technical critiques are welcome, too (not all poets welcome that.)

And I like to know if something doesn’t make sense, or is confusing. It’s helpful to know that.

]]> By: mrsatroxi http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215975 mrsatroxi Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:36:04 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215975 Wow. You are good! ;) (You are, honest.) I love poetry. I don't know why, I won't defend or deny it, it's just there. I could babble on about it, but I won't, since I'll just sound as dumb as usual. Wow. You are good! ;)

(You are, honest.)

I love poetry.

I don’t know why, I won’t defend or deny it, it’s just there.

I could babble on about it, but I won’t, since I’ll just sound as dumb as usual.

]]> By: teahouseblossom http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215951 teahouseblossom Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:15:57 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215951 I'm glad that you are enlightened enough to appreciate the Russians' appreciation for ballet and figure skating. I've always liked that about the Russians. I’m glad that you are enlightened enough to appreciate the Russians’ appreciation for ballet and figure skating. I’ve always liked that about the Russians.

]]> By: plain jane http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215950 plain jane Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:43:18 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215950 Great post! (How is that for a trite comment?) I didn't know Sophia was having more suregery. I'm sorry. Hmmm. Just noticed my misspelling of surgery, but it sounds strong and confident. SURE-GERY. A sure bet. I'm like Adena, I make a sucky girl, I'd rather have a blender than flowers, although flowers are nice. I'd rather have a Dyson vacuum than a diamond ring, no contest. I LOVE Billy Collins poem! Wow. That's all. Thanks. Great post! (How is that for a trite comment?)

I didn’t know Sophia was having more suregery. I’m sorry. Hmmm. Just noticed my misspelling of surgery, but it sounds strong and confident. SURE-GERY. A sure bet.

I’m like Adena, I make a sucky girl, I’d rather have a blender than flowers, although flowers are nice. I’d rather have a Dyson vacuum than a diamond ring, no contest.

I LOVE Billy Collins poem! Wow.

That’s all. Thanks.

]]> By: adena http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215949 adena Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:58:15 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215949 I've never been big on poetry. There are certain OLD SCHOOL poets that I like enough...Tennyson, Burns, etc... But, the new stuff? Meh. Can't get into it. Give me fiction, any day. Same goes for flowers. I don't "get" flowers, either. They die in a few days, so they're pretty, but pointless. I'd rather have a plant. I make a sucky girl. I’ve never been big on poetry. There are certain OLD SCHOOL poets that I like enough…Tennyson, Burns, etc…

But, the new stuff? Meh. Can’t get into it.

Give me fiction, any day.

Same goes for flowers. I don’t “get” flowers, either. They die in a few days, so they’re pretty, but pointless. I’d rather have a plant.

I make a sucky girl.

]]> By: Pearl http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215948 Pearl Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:54:20 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215948 I might be a blogger, Neil, but poetry has always been my obsession. Since I was a kid, I'd write poems, and it's interesting to see how they've evolved in the past 40+ years. It is my poetry that gets published, rarely anything else. My poetry speaks about me -- and for me! I might be a blogger, Neil, but poetry has always been my obsession. Since I was a kid, I’d write poems, and it’s interesting to see how they’ve evolved in the past 40+ years.
It is my poetry that gets published, rarely anything else. My poetry speaks about me — and for me!

]]> By: Sara http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215947 Sara Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:59:48 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215947 I think this is the best thing I've ever read here. Thanks for re-"printing" these. I think this is the best thing I’ve ever read here. Thanks for re-”printing” these.

]]> By: sputnik http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215946 sputnik Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:30:30 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2007/10/24/confessions-of-a-poemphobe/#comment-215946 Oh, NO! Poetry Thursday is defunct? That's terrible. I started participating when you started columnizing. I read all your posts over there when they first came out. I was so remiss over the summer, with no time for a poem-a-week, that I forgot to go back. And I am so late I even missed the final farewell poem contribution. And now I have to remove the link from my blog. Sad! Oh, NO! Poetry Thursday is defunct? That’s terrible. I started participating when you started columnizing. I read all your posts over there when they first came out. I was so remiss over the summer, with no time for a poem-a-week, that I forgot to go back. And I am so late I even missed the final farewell poem contribution. And now I have to remove the link from my blog. Sad!

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