ON BEING A POET
CONTENT
Good poets write from personal experiences;
great poets also write from their imagination.
BAD LANGUAGE
Bad language used in context enhances; bad language used gratuitously insults.
SPELLING
It’s there: it’s not their.
It’s you’re: it’s not your.
Get it rite, get it write.
METRE
Read it out loud, if the words do not flow the metre is wrong.
The reader doesn’t want an unreadable font
so please be a dear and use one that’s clear.
STRAINING RHYME
The rhyme may be right
but never lose sight
if good language and meter
fail to feature
a line will be crossed
and the poem will be lost.
If you’re struggling to rhyme
then rewrite the line.
BABBLE TALK
It doesn’t impress.
It will only depress
- so why write it?
-
Author:
Michael Edwards (
Offline) - Published: October 3rd, 2017 00:00
- Comment from author about the poem: I put off posting these pieces as I have no wish to offend anyone and they are certainly not a criticism of any one poet or group of poets – they merely reflect my own personal preferences. Also I am mindful that I am equally guilty of breaking my own ‘rules’ from time to time !!
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 59
- Users favorite of this poem: FredPeyer, Mugsdaddy, malubotelho, rrodriguez.
Offline)
Comments12
Indeed, great advice... Your, oops, you're very disciplined in your craft. I gather you have the same standards for your painting. Your, oh no, you're precise. Great write!
Must admit I'm a bit obsessive compulsive - if I see a weed in the garden I can't rest until it's pulled out, the books in the bookcase are all arranged in height order - yes I'm precise - probably instilled in me by my profession where I could be held to account for every word written and piece of advice given. But it's got me through life pretty well unscarred. Yes it does help in writing poetry and painting as the results hopefully testify.
Thank you Michael! Finally I see something that will help me write better! Favorite, print it, goes on the wall! 🙂
Don't worry about offending anybody, I for one would like to see more of this stuff here.
Thanks Fred. I do open pretty much every poem posted on mps but there are so many where I don't get beyond the first stanza. I do recognise the difference between someone who is still learning their craft and someone who should know better but often the mistakes I see are so basic and are obvious if only the poem is read before posting . Spelling errors however apply to everyone regardless of the stage they are at - there can be no real excuse. Just get it rite, err write, err right.
You mean it doesn't have to rhyme?
I often find a rhyme can actually stifle the flow of an otherwise good poem. Thanks for saving this Mugsdaddy.
I am a bit of stickler when writing the English language, except in poetry, where I write in a way that I have found suits me. I certainly do not use bad language, except in context, and my rhyming is well hidden most of the time. Poetry is special to me.
You say poetry is special to you and let me say it shows all the way. Thanks for the comment.
A fine write Michael. Also - woof, woof, I'm a watchdog, for poems that should be marked 18+, but are not! Naughty!
Not to brag, but in poetic mode, I occasionally write words that are not in the dictionary! One recently was 'obstinant' as 'obstinate' did not rhyme properly.
Not against that at all and in fact applaud made-up words if they add to the poem - like one I used recently: presact - a cross between precise and exact but everyone knew exactly what I was saying. We sometimes lose sight of the fact that the first obligation of any poet (or any other artist if it comes to that) is to communicate. Cheers your Orchiness
I can be a bit obsessive too. I usually spot a spelling mistake. Also I don't like writing that goes on in one paragraph with no breaks and hardly any full stops but just goes on and on.....! A bit like I've just done. lol.
For bad language, what rhymes with *********?! ooh
With you on the first point.
As for the second. "~"~"~" rhymes with it quite well if you have a southern accent !!
Then there's all the stuff about UK and US spellings - favour or favour, color or colour, etc?
1 more comment
Kudos on saying what drives us O.C.D.s mad, Michael! Doesn't everyone have spell-check on their computers? And words just regurgitated on the paper with no form or phrasing are not poetry, I agree. Learn the language if a poet you wish to be!
By the way, I have saved a bunch of 'U's if you know anyone who might need them.
Thanks Louis no I don't have a need for any 'u's at the moment but would appreciate an 'r' if you have one - I want to turn an English walk into an American wark
Being from Chicago, I can use all the 'hard Rs' you've got. Thanks.
2 more comments
Thanks MICHAEL ~ A WORD TO BOTH THE WISE & FOOLISH !
CONTENT ~ More important than all the rest. Apoem must make a STATEMENT !
LANGUAGE ~ is NEUTRAL ~ it is us who makes it BAD or GOOD !
SPELLING ~ is now obselete as anyone under 35 will tell you ~ an poems on MPS with color Or colour are both acceptable. Modern Poetry uses MISSPELLING for emphasis !
METRE ~ I am a PERFORMANCE POET so metre is PARAMOUNT ! Most MPS Poems lack metre ~ so sad ~ so bad. If it does not scan ~ and has no rhythm then it is PROSE and not a POEM !
FONT ~ we are Baptised in FONT so we should use the right one !
RHYME is important but PEOTRY
can be Rhymless ~ BLANK VERSE. Poetry should never be RHYME LED ~ CONTENT is more important than RHYME ~ Half rhyme (CAME & LANE is OK) and the last verse of OUR PETS POEM (please check) i have used INTERNAL RHYME. Rhyme helps flow and recitation etc.
BABBLE ~ It has its place with JABBERWOCKY and SPIKE MILLIGAN etc ~ but like crack cocaine ~ should only be used sparingly !
Thanks for cARING # Yours BRIAN
Errr I think I agree with all this but not so sure on the spelling front, Certainly My granddaughter who is currently doing A level English Language thinks it is still important but I do agree that where words are misspelt on purpose for the sake of the poem then that\'s okay. Even the poorest spellers should know the difference between their and there, If their knowledge of the language is that bad then they shouldn't aspire to be poets.
Jabberwocky and Spike Milligan (one of my all time poetic greats) don\'t write the sort of babble I was talking about - I had in mind those who write undecipherable language in an attempt to show off their knowledge of the dictionary rather than to amuse. We get it sometimes here on MPS and when they get rave responses the Emperors new clothes come to mind.
TOUCHEE ~ The problem with HOMONYMS (like WHERE & WEAR) is that they mean different things ~ and therefore their use becomes confusing ~ BUT ~ I like a LAFF when i'm in the CAFF also when I see myself when I'm in the BAFF is acceptable ~ OK Yours BRAIN !
Well, I can take all the advice possible and still not enough. Thanks Michael
Sometimes even if we know the advice we still have to remind ourselves. Thanks Malu.
Thanks Micheal , I will take a lesson from your poem, well done . I have no OCD and it shows .
Thanks Bill. I'm about to settle down to the TV for a while but before I do that there's a rubbish (trash) bin to empty - it could wait till morning but....!
Agreed, agreed, agreed,...or more simply, I agree with all you have written. I search through thousands of (poems?) here on MPS and only find a handful to be thoughtful or entertaining. Good poetry is hard work, not something you slap up without any care. Keep them honest, Michael. - Phil A.
You are not alone Phil - I search as well but am so often disappointed. Punctuation is another issue I've not covered. Either use it or don't but if you do make sure it is correct. Some don't seem to know the difference between a full stop and a comma let alone colons and semi-colons et al.
great advise my friend
Pleased you think so but we do all have our own preferences - thanks for looking in Ron - much appreciated.
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