Such types constitute the majority of the American poetry-writing
public. One meets them by the dozen at poetry events.
I knew an ex English teacher who "generally preferred free verse," but
prided herself on her ability to write "a pretty good sonnet." (Those
often contained the where/there rhyme.) I asked juvenilely, "How about
a pretty great one?" She was of the opinion that all great poets were
misudrestood and unacknowledged during their lifetime, and her
(extremely bad) poetry would be rediscovered after her death. I, too,
didn't know what to say. Sometimes such trivial subjects reveal a
worldview so bizarre that one cannot think of a crisp reply until
later.
PN
>
> For what's its worth, I still remember in astonishment a colleague,
> hitherto interested in autobiography and "freshman English," who
> had a year sabbatical telling me she had started writing poetry, and
> remarking how easy it was since all you had to do was get up and write a
> poem every day. "Nothing," as she said, "to it."
>
> I was to flabbergasted and untenured to think of an appropriate reply,
> "I'm sure," etc.
>
> David Latane
> [log in to unmask]
>
> http://saturn.vcu.edu/~dlatane/stand.html
>
>
>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|