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Feeling stuck? Write a poem

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Re: Feeling stuck? Write a poem

#111

Post by 52-6F-62 »

Naga wrote: post #99
52-6F-62 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I studied literature as well [granted, did not matriculate] but precisely because I fell in love with literature and poetry (already having been involved in music) in high school. Did you ever read any Canadian poetry? Some of our more celebrated poets were a little more literal, or prosaic, or largely storytellers. A prime example is Al Purdy (here performed by both himself reading, and in a dramatic presentation by…

What a great combination. I didn't know it existed! I discovered Purdy through Downie years ago, but didn't know about this. I'm still in such grief over Downie dying just over two years ago, which is strange for a man that I did not know and only met briefly once. I have been a Hip fan since I became conscious of music and culture and it just grew into something I could no longer contain. Thank you for sharing.

Man, the whole country is still grieving over the loss of that man. I get it. (Side note: his last solo album is like a blow to the heart. “Introduce Yourself”)

If you liked that you should dive down the YouTube rabbit hole. There is at least one dramatic reading by Gordon Pinsent as well:

https://youtu.be/yCBKlGbsL-o

Re: Feeling stuck? Write a poem

#112

Post by RaiseProfits »

billfruit wrote: post #105
mellosouls wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree - but it is arguable that a significant majority of poetry by canonical poets is settled in acclaim. Obscurities by them generally (but not always), are obscure for a reason. This will not at all be the case with new and contemporary poetry for the simple reason that these things take time to settle. Classic poetry has had enough exposure; contemporary needs support and nurturing. Some of it will fall by the…

I should also mention that very many poets and remarkable works have due to matters of popular taste, etc has failed to secure a firm place in the cannon as it is now. So I think considering the cannon, older works and poets need continual relook and re-evaluation. Poets like Edward Young, Walter Scott, perhaps even Dryden, etc may fall into such a category. Even works of 20 century poets like Ezra Pound and Philip L…

Canon

Re: Feeling stuck? Write a poem

#113

Post by manifestsilence »

acqq wrote: post #91
manifestsilence wrote: post #55

I love poetry, but think this advice is slightly off. A better way to get un-stuck is free-writing. Just write whatever comes to mind without stopping. If you hesitate, just write "I don't know what to write" - anything to keep writing. If you can sustain this for twenty minutes, you are now immune to writer's block. You know you can always write. This shifts the question to what to write. You find you can sculpt the…

> If you hesitate, just write "I don't know what to write" - anything to keep writing. But don't use: "all work and no play makes jack a dull boy"

Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!!!!!

Re: Feeling stuck? Write a poem

#114

Post by manifestsilence »

__s wrote: post #77
manifestsilence wrote: post #55

I love poetry, but think this advice is slightly off. A better way to get un-stuck is free-writing. Just write whatever comes to mind without stopping. If you hesitate, just write "I don't know what to write" - anything to keep writing. If you can sustain this for twenty minutes, you are now immune to writer's block. You know you can always write. This shifts the question to what to write. You find you can sculpt the…

I did this for three days back in highschool: https://serprex.github.io/w/50k=0 (took some breaks to eat, sleep, attend school) It permanently changed the way I write, perhaps for the worse

Wow, that's an epic freewrite! Some really great phrases in there, too

Re: Feeling stuck? Write a poem

#115

Post by manifestsilence »

runevault wrote: post #81
manifestsilence wrote: post #55

I love poetry, but think this advice is slightly off. A better way to get un-stuck is free-writing. Just write whatever comes to mind without stopping. If you hesitate, just write "I don't know what to write" - anything to keep writing. If you can sustain this for twenty minutes, you are now immune to writer's block. You know you can always write. This shifts the question to what to write. You find you can sculpt the…

Different approaches. Poetry structure can be all over the place from almost non-existent to something like a sonnet. The power in poetry I think is trying to find surprising imagery to express the point, and that shift in perception is what this article is arguing for. Is there value in free writing? Of course. I've done morning pages. I've also done free writing when struggling with problems in multiple realms (cod…

Yeah, fair enough. I have found sonnets and sestinas to be really interesting ways to explore ideas, too, because of their structure.

I suppose the level and kinds of restrictions you self-impose affect the kind of space you explore. Both are useful.

Within free writing, even, there are different levels of "free", all the way from don't stop to remember spelling of a word or ever hit backspace, to allowing minor corrections and subtly directing your train of thought towards a goal but not allowing significant pauses to think, which gets into more like draft writing.

Usually I've only written poems when the seed of an idea happens to already be there I want to write as a poem. I'll try that as a way to get unstuck as suggested. Seems interesting. :)

Re: Feeling stuck? Write a poem

#116

Post by manifestsilence »

whichquestion wrote: post #93
manifestsilence wrote: post #55

I love poetry, but think this advice is slightly off. A better way to get un-stuck is free-writing. Just write whatever comes to mind without stopping. If you hesitate, just write "I don't know what to write" - anything to keep writing. If you can sustain this for twenty minutes, you are now immune to writer's block. You know you can always write. This shifts the question to what to write. You find you can sculpt the…

I love this idea and I really appreciate you sharing it! I swear, one of my largest struggles with writing is finding exactly what to put on the page, as well as putting it on the page in the first place. Sometimes I write a lot of words, rewrite them, don’t like them and then delete them because I don’t think they’re worth saying or they can’t establish the point well enough for me to feel like they are worth keepin…

Absolutely! I still tend to stop and edit and overthink way too much to finish longer things, so tomorrow I'm starting https://nanowrimo.org/ to attempt to actually finish a novel draft without any second guessing. It's in the same spirit as the freewriting exercise, just extended to a month. :)
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