Two views of writing poetry

George J. Dance

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Jul 22, 2022, 2:42:43 PM7/22/22

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"Philip Larkin would leave half-finished poems in a drawer for decades
until he found the right lines to complete them. Let’s reserve the word
'poet' for writers who respect language enough to do things like that."
https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/bob-dylan-a-great-poet-a-great-delusion-more-like-it-20220502-p5ahrz.html

"Dumb ass. Real poets can write a poem as easily as some of us think.
In other words, it doesn’t take fucking decades."
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.arts.poetry.comments/c/i7lvIdnUvwU/m/PV9DS2-UAgAJ?hl=en

W-Dockery

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Jul 26, 2022, 12:20:16 PM7/26/22

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"Different strokes for different folks."
-Sylvester Stone

Victor H.

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Jul 26, 2022, 4:45:16 PM7/26/22

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I actually have used both methods..... in poetry.... in art..... and in the video film I worked on for years, never finished... alas...

W-Dockery

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Jul 26, 2022, 10:40:18 PM7/26/22

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Again, it definitely depends on the poem, as you know, some seem to come nearly complete, spontaneous.

Victor H.

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Jul 28, 2022, 7:00:24 PM7/28/22

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The wonderful freedom of poetry....

W-Dockery

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Jul 29, 2022, 7:47:55 PM7/29/22

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Agreed and seconded.

🙂

Zod

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Aug 5, 2022, 4:18:10 PM8/5/22

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Will Dockery wrote:

> Good use of quotes, well put.

> 🙂

Agreed and seconded...

W-Dockery

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Aug 7, 2022, 6:30:27 PM8/7/22

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Depends on the poem, of course.

W.Dockery

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Aug 14, 2022, 5:41:13 AM8/14/22

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Michael Pendragon wrote:

> George Dance wrote:
>
>> > > "Philip Larkin would leave half-finished poems in a drawer for decades
>> > > until he found the right lines to complete them. Let’s reserve the word

>> > > 'poet' for writers who respect language enough to do things like that.."

>> > > https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/bob-dylan-a-great-poet-a-great-delusion-more-like-it-20220502-p5ahrz.html
>> > >
>> > > "Dumb ass. Real poets can write a poem as easily as some of us think.
>> > > In other words, it doesn’t take fucking decades."
>> > > https://groups.google.com/g/alt.arts.poetry.comments/c/i7lvIdnUvwU/m/PV9DS2-UAgAJ?hl=en
>

> And then there's the third category...

That's the ones like you, who second hand dreary rhymes and unimaginative themes from 200 year old classics, Pendragon?

We know.

Victor H.

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Oct 4, 2022, 5:45:15 PM10/4/22

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Michael Pendragon wrote:

> George Dance wrote:
>

> The two views only appear to cancel one another out

Nobody says they do...

W-Dockery

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Apr 14, 2023, 8:45:16 AM4/14/23

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I was thinking about this, this morning, as I've been in both areas with my poetry over the years.

Depends on the moment, really.

George J. Dance

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Apr 15, 2023, 9:41:41 AM4/15/23

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Yes, it depends on the situation, and on the work, too. I've completed poems in as long as it takes to write them down, and I've wrestled with others for decades.

One thing I didn't bother to point out, back on the aapc thread, but should is that neither of the above comments were written by poets.

W.Dockery

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Apr 19, 2023, 11:15:20 PM4/19/23

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Zod wrote:

> On Friday, April 14, 2023 at 8:45:16 AM UTC-4, W-Dockery wrote:
>> George J. Dance wrote:
>> >

>> I was thinking about this, this morning, as I've been in both areas with my poetry over the years.
>>
>> Depends on the moment, really.

> I daresay I am also in that boat of poetics.....

Good evening my friend, I hope you're doing well.

W.Dockery

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May 2, 2023, 12:35:18 AM5/2/23

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This was discussed on the Leonard Cohen documentary I watched a few days ago.

W.Dockery

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Jul 21, 2023, 11:45:17 AM7/21/23

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Again, well put.

General-Zod

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Aug 30, 2023, 4:50:24 PM8/30/23

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Good one...

W.Dockery

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Aug 31, 2023, 3:40:16 AM8/31/23

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Worth another read, good find.