[educate.barnesandnoble.com]

[educate.barnesandnoble.com]

The second course sounds interesting. I'm of the school which believes that nothing you can learn about poetry could possibly be bad for you.

I would certainly recommend something like this for people who do not have an education background but would like to learn more about how to write.

Les

But you wouldn't recommend it for people who do have an education background?

> But you wouldn't recommend it for people who do have an education background?

Sure if they have the time, and aren't currently taking dozens of courses intended to teach them how to write.

Les

> But you wouldn't recommend it for people who do have an education background?

Have you seen the selected textbook? I wouldn't recommend it for those who have an interest in learning poetry.

The books's first chapter has this 'final draft' of a poem the author wrote, for example:


"J"

On the page, in the right font,
It resembles a jay,
Swoop of the serif like a tail
Guiding the ascender,

Quotations around the beak
Vibrating the backdrop
Of erasable bond, an endless
Expanse of sky. My name has

A history, thirty years' war
Fielding questions, teaching
Friend and foe how to call
Or curse me, lovers unable

To pronounce declarations,
Rivals, vows of vengeance.
Even my blood brother,
The serious Sicilian, disowns me,

No "J" in the alphabet, Giacomo,
A confused pigeon, as if paisan
Opened the wrong coop,
The homing sense lost.

So when I sing of myself
Nobody joins the chorus,
Nobody hears the screech
Bluejays make as they sully

Line or limb, preen a feather
As I want to preen
The scarlet letter from my name,
Phoenician, phonetics of fate.


And this written after lots of careful thought, according to the author. Note the lack of any consistent meter, and the apparently randomly-chosen line breaks, to make prosaic prose resemble praiseworth poetry. Yeah, he has some alliteration and assonance/consonance, but that is merely window dressing.

I fear he has missed the two most important elements of poetry: having something of value to impart to the reader, and communicating the idea(s) in a fascinating manner.

You make some good points, Hugh. Very often I read comments from beginning writers, and some more experienced writers who face writer's block. I think a course like this might help them. Albeit, not in the manner most acadamecians would consider professional quality.

Les

Ok...i wrote the following in response to a challenge by Keeper on the other forum in about 5 minutes, and that's mostly due to slow typing skills:

I never really liked that girl, the one that’s named Patrice
I think she’s someone’s cousin, or she might have been a niece
For all I know, she might be dead, so let her rest in peace
As long as I don’t see her anymore

I can’t say what reminded me of all those years ago
And what would make me think of her and make me feel so low
I never would allow my animosity to show
And now it’s back to haunt me even more

So what is it about this girl, the one that’s named Patrice?
Her manner just annoyed me and it never seems to cease
And here I am, annoyed again, unable to release
I wish I had the option to ignore