My wife made the statement yesterday that I was "not a real poet."Her reasoning was that she has listened to other (obviously real) poets saying that they have a burning compulsion to write poetry. They see something and have a spiritual need to get it out as poetry.
I, on the other hand, (she says) don't have that burning passion in my soul. I treat poetry as an academic exercise, like doing a crossword or losing at Cluedo to my daughter.
Its an interesting theory. I enjoy writing poetry and always have an antenna out for things to poeticise. But no, it is not the all-consuming passion that others claim to have.
Whether this makes me less of a poet, I don't know. I believe some passion is essential to write good poetry but it must be kept in control by the head. But I feel I do write better stuff when I feel strongly about a subject.
You're living with a critic! Must be scary.
ReplyDeletex
Dear Peter: Compulsion could be a disorder. If you dont mind being mad one could be an artist. The specialization being so specific as to agitate. My visual arts professor called everyone in the class a "Sunday painter". Unless driven maybe we are all "Sunday poets". I like Sunday! I should say, "I LOVE Sunday". Got to get my drive in high gear for Monday!
ReplyDeleteThis is where we definitely have similar leanings, I love the mathematical aspect of rhyme and form. I can knock out something free or blank, but give me rhyme any day and I will sit there and toy with words for ages to get it right. It is rather a sudoku for the senses.
ReplyDeleteMind you, I do get all antsy when I have not written for a spell (feel that what right now, actually).
Never doubt that you are a poet - one of the finest order (pun intended).
Kat
Interesting. It's the end result that makes up my mind for me - I think it's good, I'm a poet; OK, mediocre or unprintable, and I'm a jobbing wordsmith - no matter what process I used to get to something on a page.
ReplyDeleteNot a poet very often, but when I hit it I look back at those ones and think, "I wrote that?!"
Hi! I found your blog through a bit of blog jumping this morning. Couldn't resist scrolling through after the subtitle - haha - I can relate to that feeling.
ReplyDeleteI mean no offense to your wife, but I have to respectfully disagree - the only criterion for being a real poet, in my opinion, is that you write poetry.
I admire your collection - I wish I could write with your frequency!
Take care!
Ashley