Arthur, What about prose-writing? I found this piece
of yours to have its own measured beauty. Thanks, cara

 --- Arthur <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
Christina, please do keep the poem.
> I have often thought that there are at least three
> different forms in which a poem can exist, and, in a
> sense, do so at the same time.
>
> The first is the form that the poet thinks he/she is
> creating. The goal, purpose, destination of the
> poem, the form, mode of language, meter are all
> dictated by the conscious choice of the poet. Such
> choices are made using poetic criteria and
> judgements, hopefully developed over years of study
> of the craft.
>
> The second form is the poem that the poet actually
> wrote. This comes from the poetic soul, perhaps I
> mean awareness, sensitivity, of the poet. Certainly
> if the poet is truly inspired then there is a
> quality of automatic writing in some of the poem's
> creation. I know that there are times when I have
> been dismayed at what I have produced and find it
> had to believe it came from me. This "automatic"
> writing comes, perhaps, from years of developing a
> poetic facility or craft.
>
> When there is an audience there is then a third
> poem. The poems of the first and second form are for
> the poet and explains the peculiarly defensive role
> we often take to our newest creation. They are our
> children. However an audience of even one person
> brings to the poem conceptions, views, attitudes,
> responses, education, culture and even an
> understanding of the connotations of certain words
> that are necessarily different from the poet's.
> Their reception of the poem is in itself an act of
> creation and quite distinct from the poet's. The
> poem is created from the poet's response to a
> stimulus, the poem itself has become the stimulus of
> the audience's act of creation.
>
> Now if there is an audience of more than one then
> the poem of the third form can be seen to
> proliferate into the size of that audience by
> precisely the process that allows the third form to
> exist.
>
> Of course the three forms are not necessarily as
> distinct as I have described them here. It has to be
> conceded that there is no reason why a happy
> coincidence can occur when any two forms, and even
> all three, may in in fact be and be perceived as
> being the same.
>
> Nevertheless, I think the forms do exist and their
> existence explains to a large extent the differences
> of opinion concerning the quality, value and even
> meaning of a poem.
>
> The poem is a delight and must be kept.
>
>

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