----- Original Message -----
From: "James Bell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2003 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: Discussion topic? Poems about writing poems.
> Writing poems about writing poems is like gradually disappearing up your
own
> arse/ass and should be mocked and pilloried without exception.
> Should get the discussion off to a good start Grassy.
>
>
>
> bw
> James
>
> Ouch, that's harsh! Though I admit that good ones are rare. They should
all be witty and self-mocking as was Gary's I think.
Trish
>
>
>
> >From: grasshopper <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Discussion topic? Poems about writing poems.
> >Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 15:27:39 +0100
> >
> >I'm surprised, reading various poetry lists, about how many poems are
about
> >poetry and writing poems. It leads me to wonder what the expected
audience
> >of these poems is.
> >I suspect the majority of people do not write poems - so why should they
be
> >expected to connect to the writing process? Is is not rather solipsistic
to
> >expect a general reader to be as fascinated by this subject as an author
> >is?
> >I'll confess my personal feeling about this. I think Art should mainly be
> >about life, not about art. Poems about poems can get very incestuous and
> >inbred-- frankly I think it's rather an unhealthy trend.
> >I've found most people don't respond that readily to poems about poetry,
> >but
> >about things they can relate to more strongly -about living life, rather
> >than the process of writing about it.
> >Could this be why often people feel alienated from poetry these
days--they
> >feel much of it is aimed at fellow writers rather than the general
public?
> >I'd be interested to know what others think.
> >Kind regards,
> > grasshopper
>
>
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