I figured this was coming.
Hence I didn't mention the fact that the kids at the kids club are
non-verbal.
The writers (as I call them) are a group of kids with a variety of autistic
spectrum disorders, the majority are non-verbal.
They use Bliss symbols and Makaton to communicate on a one to one, when they
want to share their voice they write.
I will never ever invade their space and advice them how to develop the
craft.
Their unpolished/Aboriginal work is organic, natural, spontaneous, pure
un-crafted language that kicks arse.
I apply the same rule to all people who write, some peoples words are in the
dictionary, some peoples words are in their personality.
Sometimes 'to enable' can disable the balance of a person.
You said:
> The drive to write poetry is only the starting point after that you need
to
> learn your craft
I disagree, the fact that you free the words is poetry.
Lynn
Subject: Re: National Poetry Day
> There is a lot to be said for unpolished and aboriginal work and in some
> case those pieces
> can be extraordinary. But how much more can that same poet bring to their
> work after
> years of study and refinement. It would be quite reasonable to see the
> unpolished piece as
> holding a great potential, but unless the poet develops the craft and the
> language to enable
> them to put their ideas on the page then they may come to nothing, or
spend
> their lives
> writing doggerel.
>
> Consider any art, some people may show a great facility but they need help
> to develop
> their style and technique and it is this control over their medium that
> finally sets them free
> to imagine what they want and know they can achieve it.
>
> In poetry it is the same, often the role of the mentor is played by the
> editor who will help
> a talent to develop, (or their agent) or collage, university or adult
> education courses also
> have their place.
>
> The drive to write poetry is only the starting point after that you need
to
> learn your craft
> and that takes a lifetime IMHO. but what that has to do with my original
> mail I don't quite see.
>
>
> John
>
>
> >From: Lynn Owen <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: National Poetry Day
> >Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2001 16:33:44 +0100
> >
> >Hiya John,
> >I could go on for hours about this subject but I'll save you the time and
> >get to the point.
> >Thing is, some people need to quantify and calculate poetry, I did for a
> >while, I now know I was looking for a formula!
> >Jim Bennett has the ability to quantify and calculate but his formula is
> >due
> >to his being, his psyche creates his poetry.
> >As do the kids in the kids club who have no knowledge of couplets, stans,
> >and whatever, they write because they want to.
> >I think poetry is organic it happens because it's meant to - some people
> >facilitate and don't know what they're doing.
> >It just happens.
> >Lynn
> >
> >
> >Subject: Re: National Poetry Day
> >
> >
> > > As an academic who is responsible for the organisation of many poetry
> > > events, I can tell
> > > you that although the students get time "off" during the summer, the
> >staff
> > > do not. There
> > > are many institutions now which run courses through the summer and
many
> > > academic
> > > staff who carry on through the summer, except for their normal
holidays
> > > which they have
> > > to take during this period, because they cannot take them through
> >student
> > > contact time.
> > >
> > > As for Andrew, he is one of the hardest working Poet Laureates that
the
> >UK
> > > has ever had.
> > > He is working hard to help schools find new ways of approaching poetry
> >and
> > > showing
> > > that it can be entertaining and interesting and leading people to
> >realise
> > > that it can have a
> > > meaning in there lives.
> > >
> > > Through the summer I have had the pleasure of working with four poets
> >and
> > > three other
> > > writers who have never stopped working for the whole of that period.
> >Many
> > > were
> > > planning things related to National Poetry Day one of them whose
> >programme
> >I
> > > deal with
> > > has four school readings, two workshops two "guest" readings and still
> >has
> > > to carry out
> > > his usual job as a university lecturer. This week for many poets has
> >been
> > > in the planning
> > > for months. I think some of you know Jim Bennett who is from the
North
> > > West, he has
> > > three TV and radio interviews planned for national poetry Day in
> >addition
> >to
> > > five other
> > > appearances over two days. This does not just happen and it takes
> >months
> >of
> > > work and
> > > planning to ensure that poetry gets its one day right. For people to
> >make
> > > glib statements
> > > about academics and October beggars belief because it is so far from
the
> > > truth.
> > >
> > > I was at a performance in Lancaster on Tuesday night, where Jim read
> >some
> >of
> > > his work
> > > and sang some of his songs. He finished the evening with a poem for
New
> > > York called
> > > Monument and sang a song about it called "Victims", this was his
> >response
> >to
> > > the events
> > > of September 11. The ovation he received had to be experienced. Jim
is
> >an
> > > academic,
> > > but most of the people listening only came because it was a sponsored
> >event
> > > and entry
> > > was very cheap, most went away believing that there was something in
> >poetry
> > > for them,
> > > so I do not accept the elitist argument either. Why suppose someone
> >cannot
> > > represent
> > > poetry and inspire people to write for themselves because they teach
in
> >a
> > > University and
> > > write interesting but rather impenetrable academic papers, it is their
> > > poetry which is
> > > important.
> > >
> > > The other problem as I see it is that people have one drawer marked
> >poetry
> > > while for
> > > music you have many drawers. There are few people who like all styles
> >of
> > > music so why
> > > should poetry be any different. The implication with regard to the
> > > "feelings of inferiority"
> > > is that we should be pleased to accept mediocrity in order not to
upset
> >to
> > > many people or
> > > challenge their perceptions of what is "good" poetry.
> > >
> > > The main problem though is and will always be the fact that when we
talk
> > > about "poetry"
> > > we are perhaps all talking about a different thing. Andrew Motion is
> >doing
> > > very well
> > > thank you, so is Bob Dylan, so is Roger McGough, so is Craig Charles,
> >so
> >is
> > > Atila the
> > > Stockbroker, well you get he point. Although they all (arguably)
write
> > > poetry you are not
> > > comparing like with like and to a great extent poetry needs to be more
> > > closely defined like
> > > music so that it can find its audience. I see lots of people turn up
> >for
> >a
> > > gig and enjoy it
> > > because of the style and delivery of the poetry, if I put a different
> >poet
> > > there say Heaney
> > > for example I bet that a lot of the audience would leave.
> > >
> > > I know and deal with (as agent) seven poets, all of whom are different
> >and
> >I
> > > have the
> > > Devil's own job selling them to other promoters and event organisers.
> >But
> > > once they have
> > > had a good performer who has "entertained" the audience they are more
> >open
> > > to the same
> > > idea in the future, and i have never been asked if the poets come from
a
> > > university background or not.
> > >
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
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