Better Yet: Why do you READ poetry?

[annaswirls]

Good Lord sometimes I wonder.

When I say Poetry I mean internet, forum, workshop poetry, not the "greats" or the classics.

I read an average of 25 poems a day, and often get burned out. Sometimes I feel I do it out of a sense of obligation to the communities to which I belong, because participation is the only way the community will survive.


SO: We get why people write poetry (maybe not why they share it but...)
Why do you READ poetry?
Do you get burned out?
What do you do to prevent this burnout and how do you recover?

 

[annaswirls]

I share poetry because I want to make a connection-- to feel that deep common bond between human beings. Maybe it is sorrow, or joy or longing...


I do not necessarily want to tell people

this is how I feel
this is about me
this is my heart
I write for me
I want you to learn about me



when I share poems: I want to hear the answer "yes" from a reader to one of these questions
can I make you feel this thing that I am feeling, not just tell you how I am feeling?
can I create something you can relate to, something you recognize in yourself?
can I move your heart?
do you recognize something about others or yourself that you did not see before?
do you look at something differently now?

But I read many poets motivation for writing poetry (and sharing it with the public) and it makes me wonder. I am not interested in reading people's diaries.

That is more along the lines of the passion thread, and other threads here... to get it all out. Or write it in a journal or a blog. I dunno, I guess some people like reading diary entries in the form of a "poem" of people they do not know, but I want to read poetry when I sit down to read poetry.

I do not leave comments on diary entries. I just move on to the next poem. There are always more poems. More than I can possibly read.

 

[LittleMinna]

Too much poetry?

It's an extremely odd world we've ended up in, when there is more poetry than we can possibly read. And then people (self totally included) are lazy, wait for others to do the sorting, skim off what's already been filtered. I don't know. I think the obligation for the serious reader and writer is not quantity, but to do one's best to seek out the oddball or missed work with little nuggets of greatness in it. By reading, then, and sharing our responses, we not only serve the writer, and ourselves, but also push our communities to see more, to read more broadly.

That's the ideal, anyway, for me.

 

[flyguy69]

The same reason I hung around construction sites as a kid, I guess. There is something thrilling about watching the frame go up, the duct work go in, etc.

The final product is considerably more interesting to me if I know what went on behind the scenes to build it.

Plus, you can't deny the appeal of a bunch of sweaty guys with beer guts and pale butt cracks.

 

[bogusbrig]

I didn't wake up one day and decide to read poetry on the internet, for ages I didn't know there was poetry on the internet. How naive I was. I've always been a poetry reader though I have never made any pretence at being a poet until recently. I've got upwards of 300, maybe 400 poetry books, mostly purchased in second hand book shops so I've always been an avid poetry reader, even if my critical faculties are something to be desired. However the fun of scouring the secondhand bookstores was the simple pleasure of finding a gem, a new writer to surprise and entertain me. The pleasure was that simple and I never really analysed why beyond the simple knowledge it was a form of entertainment.

The first consciously serious poem I ever wrote was to my wife some 27 years ago and to eternal embarrassment, she still has it. I've scribbled down the years and at one point had a flook of a poem printed in a periodical (so good it is long ago an ex-periodical, probably with the help of my poem.)

I first started reading poetry on the net when I stumbled upon Literotica. I used to read it for a laugh. The absurd erotic wrestling, multiple simultaneous orgasms and blokes with more cum than the sum of a herd of bull elephant's testicles. I slowly started to realise that amongst what I called joke poetry was some very fine poetry indeed so slowly I went from reading Lit for the laugh to slowly searching Lit for gems. This prompted me to post some of my own scribbles I had tucked away. From the interaction on this site I've slowly expanded to search other sites and love it when I find poetry that excites me.

I do burn out at times from reading too much on the net and then I simply stop for a time before resuming. However I think the percentage of crap on the net is equivalent to the percentage crap printed in books, there is just more of it. Whenever I doubt this fact I remind myself of my days searching up and down Charing Cross Road in London in my weekends. I'm convinced that publishers are no better than the best of us at choosing good poetry and they have the advantage of the poetry going to them.

Hmm I'm going off topic here. I want people to read my poetry because I've spent time writing it and now I've got over my shyness of people reading it, I just want to surprise people with my writing. That probably doesn't happen very often of course but it's a challenge I enjoy.

 

[WickedEve]

Plus, you can't deny the appeal of a bunch of sweaty guys with beer guts and pale butt cracks.

Mmmm... guts and butts.

One reason I write poetry is to entertain the reader.
One reason I read poetry is to be entertained.

That's one reason. I'm sure there are more reasons. I'm thinking...

 

[flyguy69]

Mmmm... guts and butts.

One reason I write poetry is to entertain the reader.
One reason I read poetry is to be entertained.

That's one reason. I'm sure there are more reasons. I'm thinking...

That's two reasons, and they go together like two cheeks of a butt.

 

[WickedEve]

That's two reasons, and they go together like two cheeks of a butt.

Mmm... cheeks.

 

[flyguy69]

Mmm... cheeks.

Did you skip breakfast this morning?

 

[Angeline]

A friend of mine who left this site a few years ago and never returned told me he was doing so because he felt that reading a lot of mediocre writing was dragging his own writing down.

I stay here because a lot of what I read makes me think and inspires me to write. But having said that I read a lot less now than I used to because I do think it affects my writing in a negative way. I tend to read the poets whose writing I already know will get me thinking. If I read new a new poet and I find a poem to be uninspiring, I tend not to read more of that person. Sad but true. I've discovered I don't have the time to enmesh myself in poetry that doesn't give anything back to me.

 

[Maria2394]

The same reason I hung around construction sites as a kid, I guess. There is something thrilling about watching the frame go up, the duct work go in, etc.

The final product is considerably more interesting to me if I know what went on behind the scenes to build it.

Plus, you can't deny the appeal of a bunch of sweaty guys with beer guts and pale butt cracks.

Flyguy@!!! beer guts and pale butt cracks??, okay. I work construction with my hubby sometimes and we work out tails off, all of us do I mean, jeez, you wont see any beer guts trucking it up 18 flights of stairs, hehe. And you should feel how tight my butt is The pale butts are the ones that stand around and tell everyone else what to do!! I hung steel beams on that bank, welded a little bit, used more power tools than I ever dreamt I would be allowed to use!!

It was heavenly, lol and IM proud of it and I totally understand what you mean about knowing what went on, but the MOST interesting part of the job was the people .I still have not figured out how to put them in a poem, they are worthy of a book. The Mexicans, how I adore those wonderful, friendly people. I am suffering separation anxiety!!!

Anna, why do I read poetry? To make sure I am not alone. I dont care if even its poorly written, sometimes a meaningful message is in there, somewhere tucked between the typos and errors and awful rhyme, look past that, like you're looking past a dumpster on a construction site. See those people working there? theyre building a poem

yes, I do get burnt out. When i am reading the new poems, I start at the top usually and a good example of when I would stop reading for the day is your poem what he might have said. That one grabbed me and put me in a place I wanted to feel for hours so I didnt read another new poem off that list for most of the day.

I wallowed in those emotions and feelings you left me with. It is extremely powerful. I feel badly sometimes iF i know there are other poets whom I respect with work on that day, but I wont go on until that ONE poem has worked its way through me into something profound. It did.

I personally would never feel like reading any type or quality poem would drag MY work down, god help me, I was and still am, merely a primate with subcutaneous poetic aspirations. I do understand if it is someone who consistently writes those why doesnt he love me poems, or the incessant cum, cum cum poems, I agree with BB on that one. Yuck, its funny for awhile, and I even grew out of that!!

great thread, annabanana

 

[Liar]

Once, I tried to read all the poems posted here. Went out of my way to vote and comment on them. Out of obligation I guess. Because I want mine to be read and commented too, and fair is fair. However, I'm not here to feel bad, but to enjy myself, and these days I only read poems on days when my mood allows it.

I can't say that even reading bad poetry is dragging my own abilities down. I believe in gaining something from every piece of information that the sponge of my mind soaks up. Even Hallmark poetry. Negative samples are samples too. Often inspirational. Now and then I see a poorly expressed sentiment in a so-so poem that I still can relate to and start to think how I might better express it.

On the other hand, I rarely read those, because it's more fun to read good stuff. And I like fun.

 

[flyguy69]

Flyguy@!!! beer guts and pale butt cracks??, okay. I work construction with my hubby sometimes and we work out tails off, all of us do I mean, jeez, you wont see any beer guts trucking it up 18 flights of stairs, hehe. And you shoudl feel how tight my butt is The pale butts are the ones that stand around and tell everyone else what to do!! I hung steel beams on that bank, welded a little bit, used more power tools than I ever dreamt I would be allowed to use!!

It was heavenly, lol and IM proud of it and I totally understand what you mean about knowing what went on, but the mOST interesting part of the job was the people .I still have not figured out how to put them in a poem, they are worthy of a book. The Mexicans, how I adore those wonderful, friendly people. I am suffering separation anxiety!!!

Anna, why do I read peotry? To make sure I am not alone. I dont care if even its a poorly written "poem" sometimes a meaningful message is in there, somewhere tucked between the typos and errors and awful rhyme, look past that, like youre looking past a dumpster on a construction site. See those people working there? theyre building a poem

I still do hang around them. But now I sit on my briefcase and whistle at the cute construction girls.

 

[Maria2394]

I still do hang around them. But now I sit on my briefcase and whistle at the cute construction girls.

you would have had to do that from across the road at my last job, or you woulda been fired, buddy no flirting allowed!! and the ratio is delightful, now that you mention it, there were five women and approximatly 350 men at the height of that job, ohhhhh yeah

 

[flyguy69]

you would have had to do that from across the road at my last job, or you woulda been fired, buddy no flirting allowed!! and the ratio is delightful, now that you mention it, there were five women and approximatly 350 men at the height of that job, ohhhhh yeah

That's a lot of pale butt flesh.

 

[Maria2394]

That's a lot of pale butt flesh.

you're in a mood today come let me spank YOUR pale butt flesh

 

[flyguy69]

you're in a mood today come let me spank YOUR pale butt flesh

Nurse, spank my ass, STAT!

 

[wildsweetone]

Good Lord sometimes I wonder.

When I say Poetry I mean internet, forum, workshop poetry, not the "greats" or the classics.

I read an average of 25 poems a day, and often get burned out. Sometimes I feel I do it out of a sense of obligation to the communities to which I belong, because participation is the only way the community will survive.


SO: We get why people write poetry (maybe not why they share it but...)
Why do you READ poetry?
Do you get burned out?
What do you do to prevent this burnout and how do you recover?

I read it for knowledge and for entertainment.

I don't get burned out from reading poetry as I am picky about what I read. I spent too long reading prose for others and became burnt out. In my opinion burn out happens when you force your body/mind into doing things it is not capable of processing at the speed in which you do it. Take time out. Step back. And be more picky what you read. There is no law that states you have to read a certain amount each day, you have the control button.

Angeline said: A friend of mine who left this site a few years ago and never returned told me he was doing so because he felt that reading a lot of mediocre writing was dragging his own writing down.

I stay here because a lot of what I read makes me think and inspires me to write. But having said that I read a lot less now than I used to because I do think it affects my writing in a negative way. I tend to read the poets whose writing I already know will get me thinking. If I read new a new poet and I find a poem to be uninspiring, I tend not to read more of that person. Sad but true. I've discovered I don't have the time to enmesh myself in poetry that doesn't give anything back to me.

You know, there was a time when I would have completely disagreed with doing this. *smile* That just goes to show me how much I've learnt since I've been here.

Nowadays, I find I can read a few lines and instantly I know whether I will bother with reading the rest or not.

 

[Sabina_Tolchovsky]

The same reason I write poetry; I need release in my right hand and understanding in my left.
I did get burned out reading poetry at one time but then I stopped doing the reviews. I felt obligated to read each poem word for word, crap or not. Now I just check out the next poem in line if the currant is a stinker.

Lazy poet syndrome or is it elitism?

 

[flyguy69]

The same reason I write poetry; I need release in my right hand and understanding in my left.
I did get burned out reading poetry at one time but then I stopped doing the reviews. I felt obligated to read each poem word for word, crap or not. Now I just check out the next poem in line if the currant is a stinker.

Lazy poet syndrome or is it elitism?

I use my left hand for release.

 

[Sabina_Tolchovsky]

I only use the left when I need to feel like it is someone else....

 

[clutching_calliope]

A philosophy

.....

 

[ishtat]

Looking and reading

I look at a lot of poems but I don't "read" all that many. The look at stuff often lasts only a second or two then click, onto the next. But when I "read" poetry it tends to almost talk back to me, it is not just words sitting there waiting to be noticed but something which grabs me and makes demands, assertions of its own.The very best I don't read voluntarily it demands to be read and read again.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Senna Jawa]

I work construction with my hubby sometimes and we work out tails off, all of us do I mean, jeez, you wont see any beer guts trucking it up 18 flights of stairs, hehe. And you should feel how tight my butt is [...] I hung steel beams on that bank, welded a little bit, used more power tools than I ever dreamt I would be allowed to use!!

Maria, wow! but where are the links to your poems about the construction sites and the work??!!

the MOST interesting part of the job was the people. I still have not figured out how to put them in a poem, they are worthy of a book. The Mexicans, how I adore those wonderful, friendly people. I am suffering separation anxiety!!!

Maria, just do it, in the most direct way. Try to remember scraps of phrases. Do the most primitive, the most simple reporting. Keep the image in front of you and write, this-that, bang-bang, like it were not you writing but like it were writing by itself.

Good luck,

Senna Jawa​