I must admit my introduction to experimental poetry last week left me with raised eyebrows and a bit of confusion. I am used to Shakespeare and Browning, that’s the poetry I grew up on and what I am more familiar with. After reading a few of the experimental pieces my mind did, however start to expand. I realized that poetry does not have to be confined to one small and limited box that I had kept it in all these years. There are worlds of avenues to explore and the opportunities are endless. What I found most interesting is that poetry can be anything you put on paper, if you define it to be so.
I don’t consider experimental poetry to be a “lesser” form just a form that may confuse some individuals who (like me) are convinced that poetry should be written one particular way to be considered authentic and worthy to be referred to as poetry.
In order for the experimental stuff to grow on me, I guess it’s a matter of reading more of it and getting used to it, also familiarizing myself with the different poets who dabble or even specialize in this area. Then I can re-train my mind to accept these works as true poetry and be able to appreciate it as much as I do any other poetry I’ve read.
Cindy Davis
Cindy-
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. I was always taught that poetry had forms and specific guidelines. I too was use to the more "classical" form of poetry and while I may not be able to understand it, I was able to recognize it as poetry. I thought experimental poetry was interesting and the lecture did open my eyes to other forms (or lack of form) of poetry. I think you explain it all when you said, "What I found most interesting is that poetry can be anything you put on paper, if you define it to be so." I was shocked to learn that and really had to step back and redefine what poetry really is. I think I need to learn to appreciate "real" or "classical" history before I can open my mind to experimental poetry.
- Ashley
Cindy, you and I once again share sentiments about poetry.
ReplyDeleteThough poetry wasn't pushed on me as much as prose through the duration of my secondary education I still studied more well known & classic authors such as Donne & Shakespeare.
I have to be honest. I don't like experimental poetry. In fact, part of me can't stand it. It's annoying and slightly confusing.
However, my frustration with a form of poetry is no reason for me to rule it as a lesser art. In fact, it may even take more work to create a poem outside of the standard forms.
I had to read a great deal of poetry in order to form a liking, yes, the same may be true of experimental poetry.
However, when there's no set form to experimental poetry can reading more of it truly help us with comprehension of the form, like reading a ballad or sonnet would?
~Nitesh Arora