Ah, but they are not in context. They stand alone.They are not the best
examples I know that. You are arguing about the sentences themselves and not
reflecting on the quotation. If the quotation does not mean what I think it
means what do you think it means. Perhaps it means what Bob suggests that we
show not tell, but to say ' the doors opened'  is more telling than showing
surely. You may not agree but I think it is bare and nothing more than a
statement.Arthur
----- Original Message -----
From: Christina Fletcher
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 9:38 AM
Subject: Unokugged (Arthur)



Morning Arthur,
Just here for a tick to set the cat among the pigeons;-)


"For instance, and a ‘for instance’ is often more convincing than yards of
wordage,
I can say:

The automatic door opened.

That is a simple enough statement, truthful and terse, it describes an
action but it is I suggest flat and contributes little of poetic value."

****  Mmm.  Everything has to be seen in context.  If the poem's intended to
convey truth in a flat way 'the automatic door opened' might be the only
appropriate way of saying it.  Flatness has as much 'poetic value' as
anything else.

"The automatic door hissed open.
The automatic door of the bordello whispered open with a welcoming sigh..
The automatic door of the hospital opened with a malicious hiss.
The automatic doors of the hotel opened with an obsequious hiss

All describe the same or similar event but set an atmosphere that is part of
the place and part of the writer’s response to an event in the place. They
are a revelation of something other than the opening of a door."

***  I don't agree that any of these give the reader more than the first
example for the reason given above.  They could, but it depends entirely on
what the writer's aiming to do with words.  Nothing is something.  Less can
be more.

bw
christina