Poetry

[Mark Arbour]

A March article in Newseek says poetry reading is at an all time low.

 

It's approaching appears to be approaching mime levels.

 

What do you think?

[Kev de Cauchery]

I love them, even though sometimes I can't entirely understand them. But then, I do consider poetry to be enjoyed individually, i.e., everyone would feel something probably totally different to the same poem. That's also what is fascinating about poems.

 

And I do try to write a few, though without much success.

 

 

[Zeoanne]

I don't care much for it even though I'll read some. If It catches my eye on the first few lines, then I'll finish reading it. But no, I don't care much for them.

[Ramon]

Most poems I've read have been for school. Now that I'm not required to take another classes that involve poetry, I'll read one only if a line catches me.

[Conner]

I think selection #2, which essentially says, "Yes, I'm a shallow person,", says a lot about the uhmm...person who designed the survey. It really should be deleted as a choice. :2hands:

 

I love poetry. I prefer the classics but there is still good stuff being published.

 

Poetry requires a love of language and a love of metaphor.

[Westie]

I need to be careful what I say to maintain my anonymity.... but i was actually published in a couple of anthologies when i was a teenager.

 

but actually.... I dont come to this site for poetry. Poetry is not an enjoyable genre to read (though I find it easy to write), and to be honest I dont think it has a place on this site. FULL STOP.

 

Just my opinion.... flame me if you wish

[DragonMando]

I rather enjoy poetry =/ makes me sad that it's losing its popularity.

[Krista]

The more lyrical, the better. I used to write poetry and it was important to me, but over the years I've not really read nor written any.

[C James]

Poetry does have a place on GA: we have a poetry forum, just like we have an efic forum. We also have a poetry announcements forum.

 

It was designed this way so that, for people who like poetry, they have a place for it. It's also separate, so it shouldn't bother people who don't like poetry. It was the best means we could come up with to keep everyone, verse and prose alike, happy.

[Toast]

I have often heard on this site authors comment that first and foremost they write for themselves. Well, I like writing poems, and I like reading them. I like to write stories and read them too. I like that I have the freedom to do that here. I don't like someone saying or implying that I don't have that freedom any more or that I shouldn't have that freedom or that this is not the place for that freedom. Poetry belongs here just like stories and blogs and chat and all of us who care about GA and want a good place to be.

[Benji]

I have often heard on this site authors comment that first and foremost they write for themselves. Well, I like writing poems, and I like reading them. I like to write stories and read them too. I like that I have the freedom to do that here. I don't like someone saying or implying that I don't have that freedom any more or that I shouldn't have that freedom or that this is not the place for that freedom. Poetry belongs here just like stories and blogs and chat and all of us who care about GA and want a good place to be.

 

...........Poetry has a place here in GA, I rather enjoy reading some of them and will continue too!

[Tiger]

I like some of it. It really does depend on my mood. If I'm really in the mood for poetry, I'll even write one.

[Mark Arbour]

I think selection #2, which essentially says, "Yes, I'm a shallow person,", says a lot about the uhmm...person who designed the survey. It really should be deleted as a choice. :2hands:

 

I love poetry. I prefer the classics but there is still good stuff being published.

 

Poetry requires a love of language and a love of metaphor.

 

 

Someone always has to bitch about the poll.

 

I actually put that one, and the one about it being "too gay", because I was curious if people actually did dislike or like poetry for shallow reasons. it's an anonymous poll, so no one will know who voted for it.

 

Poetry does have a place on GA: we have a poetry forum, just like we have an efic forum. We also have a poetry announcements forum.

 

It was designed this way so that, for people who like poetry, they have a place for it. It's also separate, so it shouldn't bother people who don't like poetry. It was the best means we could come up with to keep everyone, verse and prose alike, happy.

 

 

I agree, and I think it was a good solution. Even though I'm not a big poetry fan, I'd be really opposed to us deleting our poetry section. That doesn't mean it isn't interesting to see how many people find it interesting or not.

 

 

[Bleu]

Ummm, I saw this last night but was too tired to make a coherent defense of poetry. Now, obviously, more poetry lovers have come to the rescue and done a good job.

 

I think selection #2, which essentially says, "Yes, I'm a shallow person,", says a lot about the uhmm...person who designed the survey. It really should be deleted as a choice. :2hands:

 

 

Umm, I agree with Conner. When I first read it, the poll sounded biased against poetry right from the start: with choices #2 and #6 you either like or dislike poetry for reasons foreign to poetry itself.

 

I dont come to this site for poetry. Poetry is not an enjoyable genre to read (though I find it easy to write), and to be honest I dont think it has a place on this site. FULL STOP.

 

Just my opinion.... flame me if you wish

 

*Cracks a match and sets Westie's comment on fire* :2hands:

Why would poetry not have a place here? Care to elaborate?

I don't necessarily come on the site for poetry either, but some beautiful poems were posted ; they do tell a fictional tale of gay love, of feelings born from that love. I believe they are right at home in here.

 

Poetry does have a place on GA: we have a poetry forum, just like we have an efic forum. We also have a poetry announcements forum.

 

It was designed this way so that, for people who like poetry, they have a place for it. It's also separate, so it shouldn't bother people who don't like poetry. It was the best means we could come up with to keep everyone, verse and prose alike, happy.

 

I think that was a smart choice and should prevent a re-run of the war between prose and poetry. I'm sure peaceful coexistence can be maintained. Poetry is a much peaceful art than prose anyway; the fight would not be an equal one.

 

I have often heard on this site authors comment that first and foremost they write for themselves. Well, I like writing poems, and I like reading them. I like to write stories and read them too. I like that I have the freedom to do that here. I don't like someone saying or implying that I don't have that freedom any more or that I shouldn't have that freedom or that this is not the place for that freedom. Poetry belongs here just like stories and blogs and chat and all of us who care about GA and want a good place to be.

 

Yep, what Sam said

[Graeme]

I've got a foot in both camps

 

Personally, I don't search out poetry to read, and I don't write it myself. However, people I know and respect do both, so I accept that it's like sex -- we all have our different tastes and what rings one person's bells isn't what necessary rings another person's bells.

 

Having said that, as the GA Anthology Coordinator, I'm 100% behind creating a poetry anthology for next year. The poll I did earlier in the year indicated enough interest from the members that I thought it was worth trying. I'd love it if there was enough interest to make it a regular event. So what if not all members are interested in poetry? Not all members are interesting in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Horror, etc., either but there are enough that each of those genres has people who want to follow them. I personally don't like to read horror, either, but I'm quite happy with the fact that there are those who do -- enough so that authors such as Stephen King are quite wealthy -- and I'm perfectly happy accepting horror stories in the anthologies.

[TetRefine]

A few poems are ok, but generally it's not my thing. I don't think it's bad, but I don't enjoy hidden meanings and having to analyze every little word and line to find out what the author is really trying to say. That takes the fun out of it for me. I would rather just read something that what it says is what it means. Concrete writing I guess you could call it.

[Mark Arbour]

 

Umm, I agree with Conner. When I first read it, the poll sounded biased against poetry right from the start: with choices #2 and #6 you either like or dislike poetry for reasons foreign to poetry itself.

 

 

 

And of course no one would ever dislike poetry for reasons foreign to poetry itself.

 

 

 

I've got a foot in both camps

 

 

So what's new?

[Arpeggio]

I'm not a huge poetry fan. Actually, I pretty much don't care for it. I know it's easy to read this and say, "Well, you're just biased" or "You have no sense of culture."

 

"You're just shallow"

 

Which seems totally unfair to jump to that conclusion.

 

I do appreciate poetry, I definitely think it belongs here on GA, but I really don't care for it, just like how some people don't like math. I LOVE math, it makes sense to me, it's fun and totally easy, but English, writing, and poetry are totally foreign, very difficult to me.

 

I would say a lot of my dislike for poetry is that I can't understand most of it. I'm not kidding when I say English/Literature was my worst subject in school. Symbolism, inferential meanings, it doesn't connect in my brain.

 

The only time I really ever pay attention to poems is when it involves music. I like lyrics to songs ( I consider it poetry, but I don't know if it is). Even if I don't understand the lyrics, the tone of the music helps get the feel across for me. I also have a guide, or rhythm to it.

 

Then again, I also like Dr. Seuss, or anything fun going and simple.

 

I'll leave poetry to the people who can appreciate it better than me, and they can leave me the math if they want.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Arpeggio

[dkstories]

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