Yes, Janet,
I agree with ALL you're saying here----that is, the me who likes to think
she is open, honest, aboveboard, wisely tractable-to-self-help, and
relatively unanchored to her ego.
But, alas . . .
Nevertheless, p'raps bcuz of 30-plus years of teaching, I LOVE commenting on
poems---and dreams, by the way---so you gave me a Perfect Opportunity to do
both. Without your open-mindedness, my drama queen mite not have flowered
forth.
Blessings, and have fun, no matter what you do,
Judy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Janet Jackson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 11:10 AM
Subject: maiming the baby (Re: "September dream" revised )
> Judy says
>
> ...
>> it's that poem-making seems sacred, private
>> and intimate in that the poet works with some parts of herself and some
>> other unknown power that requires utmost quiet, focus and reverence.
>
> I'd agree with that.
> But once the poem reaches a sharable state, I'm happy to listen
> to all comments and ideas (so long as they are polite and constructive!)
> and then I may take some of them back to that special place you're
> talking about, and work on the poem some more.
> Or I may choose to ignore them!
>
> ...
>> I appreciate helpful comments about my plays and poems, but recoil at
>> many
>> concrete suggestions such as what words to substitute or cut or add or
>> where
>> to place things. It feels to me like folks are trying to maim my baby.
>> I
>> may be unusual in that regard. Dunno.
>
> Not sure - although I do know I've become more dispassionate
> over the years. With concrete suggestions I sometimes worry that the
> poem may be in danger of becoming theirs rather than mine... but sometimes
> people's suggestions are so useful, I think it's worth a bit of discomfort
> to make better (more effective, or more beautiful) art.
>
> Janet
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Janet Jackson <[log in to unmask]>
> Poems at Proximity:
> http://www.arach.net.au/~huxtable/janet/proximity.html
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
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