Does the video below reflect your opinion of poetry?
Ah, the slow motion raspberry. I bet many of you found this little video to be vastly more entertaining than a poem. Former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser writes in his book "The Poetry Home Repair Manual" that "of every one hundred readers of The New Yorker, ninety-nine prefer the cartoon over the poem." Sound familiar? I can feel you shaking your heads in agreement. Why is this? And as a poet, why on earth would I bring this to your attention?
There are many long-winded arguments, erudite laments, and detailed analyses of the "state of poetry," but I think it comes down to this...ninety-nine percent of you are stupid.
No. Wait. That can't be right. (insert winking smiley face here)
Serioiusly, how many times have you read a poem and said to yourself, "I don't get it," or "what the hell does this mean?" Does the word "Poetry" give you a flashback to high school and some dreaded English teacher droning on about a symbolism and the art of interpretation? The truth is that reading poetry is too much damn work for most people. There are many faster and transparent ways to communicate experience.
The problem is that poets forget about audience. They write to themselves or for the benefit of other poets. Don't get me wrong, there are a few folks out there who pride themselves on their ability to get to the core idea of a poem no matter how difficult it is. However, I'm here to tell you that a poem shouldn't be a puzzle. Good poetry is not designed to make you feel stupid. Does this mean I believe poets should dumb down their work? Of course not. I'm just advocating that poets need to work a little harder to meet the reader half-way.
The best poems offer an alchemy of intimacy between the reader and the poet. Let me explain. It's like cooking. How many times have you followed a recipe to the letter? If you are like most people, not very often. If you're making roast chicken, you may modify any number of ingredients based on your preferences, dietary needs and life experience. You may reduce the salt, use fresh rosemary and lemon thyme, cook the bird upright on a beer can or with root vegetables and other aromatics...it's up to you. At the end you'll still have roast chicken, but it will reflect a combination of the recipe, your experiences and choices.
In the right circumstances, the poet's carefully chosen words combine with the reader's experience and imagination. This creates a unique experience that reflects nuances of the human condition and complex emotions that are hard to replicate in other art forms. A good poem that connects with a reader can change their perception forever.
Here's a good example of a beautiful short poem by former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Strand. It's called "The Prediction." I think this poem is accessible yet very rich and reflective. Enjoy.
Do you hate poetry? Let me know what you think.
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1 comment:
Okay, I will admit it. I have been a closet poem-o-phobe. With the obvious exception of the current audience's work: because I know who you are, your poems really speak to me on a lot of levels. Always have. That said, in a masochistic moment of impulsiveness, I clicked the Mark Strand link and made myself read a poem of his. Purely out of respect for you. And then I read another. And another. And another. Now I find myself with not enough time to go for a walk before I pick up my son. Now I find myself thinking poetry might be okay after all. Now I find myself thinking that I might have to reconsider the geometries of my literary topology. Now the Brady Bunch theme is playing in the background - pop culture poetry - and I think that perhaps I was damaged by Early Bad Poetry. Is there a support group for this?
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