I'm not sure how much suffering there has to be to enable you to
become a great poet - AE Houseman, who may or may not be "great" poet,
didn't exactly experience a great deal beyond a tortured love affair
and some trips to France. I don't think the grit-in-the-oyster holds
up that well on inspection.
Sure a lot of poets - and artists - have mental problems but how
different are they from the social class within which they work? Do
the greatest artists have the greatest problems? I don't think there
are any neat correlations here, and a lot of pop science going on.
I agree with your overall sentiment though.
Roger
On 10/20/07, kasper salonen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I've always been of the opinion that to write great poetry you have to
> (1) experience a great deal [and, thus, suffer] and/or (2) be
> extremely in touch with language. I almost want to say 'in love', but
> making language poetry isn't rosy. but there needs to be an
> infatuation, with the pictures of language.
>
> the difference to me has been that you can be (2) but not (1) & write
> good poetry, but if you're (1) but not (2), the chances are
> disappearingly slim. both, & you're set. what I DON'T believe in is an
> inborn gift. tendencies, sure; but if my parents hadn't been
> journalists or if I hadn't been around music as much or if I hadn't
> learned two mother tongues at once, I wouldn't write poetry. at the
> moment, at this age, I'm hoping/shooting for the (+2) (-1) scenario.
>
> KS
>
> On 20/10/2007, Roger Day <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > 1. Be a tortured genius
> >
> > http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/10/poets_souls_outsell_their_vers.html
> >
> >
> > --
> > My Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/
> > "In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."
> > Roman Proverb
> >
>
--
My Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/
"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."
Roman Proverb
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