Just Stopping By

[hmmnmm]

Hello.

I signed up with Lit a few years ago with the intent and interest to see if I could write at least decent (or indecent?) erotic stories.
The first stop was the AH, and where I've mostly staked a tent on the outskirts, occasionally wandering in, then going back to the outskirts.
Attempts at writing erotic prose have produced spotty results.
The recurrent compliments had to do with the imagery/metaphor quality, while the recurrent criticisms have regarded the actual construction of the prose - tendency to wander, overwrite, obscured action, etc.

So once in a while I get the whispers that say, "maybe you should try poetry" and I think, "hmm, yeah, maybe" but I've never really written what I would consciously call poetry.

I think back to the story attempts I submitted, and the feeling was pretty casual, wanting, hoping that readers would enjoy. The perfumes of praise were great, and I felt more than once the sting of criticism, but quickly shrugged it off.

But when I think of submitting a poetic piece I get really psyched and excited, but really really really super self-conscious fearing it will it truly and really suck.

Anyway, might be popping in and out here.

Hi!

 

[Maria2394]

hi!!

welcome to Lit. I'm sure yu will have fun here and dont worry about your poetry "sucking" we all have times we arent sure about what we write. You will get great support here if you need it. Jump in and splash some poetry on us!

 

[Angeline]

Hello and welcome to the poetry forum.

This is a good, if somewhat argumentative, place where folks try to help each other become better poets. I think I can pretty safely speak for everyone who posts here when I say we all have written poems that truly suck--or at least we think they do, so you won't be alone in that feeling.

We have threads here that encourage spontaneous, off-the-cuff poetry, like Writing Live and All of a Sudden Passion Suddenly. Lots of people take their efforts from those threads and workshop them in threads like Poetry in Progress or The Gymnasium. They may go on to submit them here at Lit or try to publish them elsewhere. And we do get published. There are some wonderful poets here who've had success in some of the better online and print poetry journals.

You might want to check out the sticky threads at the top of the forum. There are some great links to resources on writing (and reading) poetry.

Oh yeah and we have our trolls and "1 bombers" here. Some people get pretty exercised about them, but mostly this is a nice, low-key place where you'll get a lot of help if you want it.

 

[hmmnmm]

So sweet replies.
I noticed the political threads appear near absent.
Yeah, a good feeling already. I just can't get into political discussions without afterwards feeling somewhat dirty, but they're so hard to get out of, yeah, like a mud puddle, puddle of quicksand or something.

Okay, maybe I'll find something to offer up.
The other day I looked at a couple of the old prose things that I took down but kept on file - wondered about 'poeticizing' or 'versifying' those... ever hear of such a thing?

Thanks again for the sweet welcome.

 

[darkerdreamer]

Okay, maybe I'll find something to offer up.
The other day I looked at a couple of the old prose things that I took down but kept on file - wondered about 'poeticizing' or 'versifying' those... ever hear of such a thing?

Poetry and prose are so closely linked in some cases, this is not an uncommon practice by any means. However, it can produce mixed results. So pieces just naturally lean towards the poetic and those ones usually make the leap quite a bit easier than others.

I'd very much like to see some of your work, be it "poeticized prose" or not.

 

[hmmnmm]

Poetry and prose are so closely linked in some cases, this is not an uncommon practice by any means. However, it can produce mixed results. So pieces just naturally lean towards the poetic and those ones usually make the leap quite a bit easier than others.

I'd very much like to see some of your work, be it "poeticized prose" or not.

Well, some of the great writers like Hesse you could say they were really poets writing prose?


The unexpected inner reaction I've noticed, just now - the feeling, not of writing but exposing - with the prose it seems like the writer can sort of hide behind a wall of words, or a curtain. Or hide in the weeds. Ready to turn and run or duck if anyone throws something, shout, "not me! I didn't do that!".
But when I think of showing the world a piece of what I call poetry, I feel like I'm about to step out into a room of people and take all my clothes off, total exposure, no way to hide. Baring of body and soul. An intensity half and half desire and fear.

Strange...

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

It's a risk worth taking, particularly if you want to learn and improve. In this place you'll get honest critiques from people with experience that you can take or leave.

It's good to see you, welcome, I'm glad you popped in.

 

[EriAliSaa]

Hmm political poetry? That would be interesting jk

This is a pretty decent forum. I have only in the last couple of years started writing erotica. In that time I bounced around different forums and such and have really found a nice place here. I am not sure how the rest of literotica forums are, and I have heard horror stories of the competitive nature that gets in the way of people actually being cool to each other.... but I haven't found that here very much.

So welcome and be free to find your muse

 

[hmmnmm]

AH is cool, a few there have been very generous and helpful.
Once in a while someone complains that it's so cliquish, but there's a lot of activity going, and some have known each other for a long time, etc... It's like a great ongoing convention with all these discussions going on in different rooms and tables. I'm usually hanging at the bar, occasionally wander around and listen, once in a while offer a comment, that gets swallowed up in the crowd, or they stare back at me for a second, not sure if they understand. Then they go back to their discourse and I saunter casually back to the bar...
Stopped in at the How-To a few times, the vibes seem pretty open and casual there. Should visit more often.
When I first signed up with Lit, not knowing any better - an ignorant virgin - I made the mistake of positing a somewhat writerly question in the GB. Whew! Lesson quickly learned.
I do love to mess around with words, but without too many strictures.

If I was at a skinny-dipping party, I'd be the last to disrobe and jump in, and the last to get out, put my clothes back on.

Something like that...

 

[wildsweetone]

hi hmmnmm, welcome

if i were you, i would try all manner of different kinds and styles of writing. you might find flash fiction suits you better than longer prose. There are huge variances in different word count lengths of prose writing, and often we don't find out those real differences until we get down and write stuff.

likewise poetry. there are so many styles and forms of poetry that it might take you a year to figure out where your preferences lay.

sometimes, it is possible that whatever you read, might be the way you would prefer to write.

whatever that preferred style is, welcome along and relax. post up a couple of your poems into this thread (something that you feel is NOT your 'baby' i.e. something that you have a little emotional distance from) and we'll see if we can give you helpful critique.

 

[hmmnmm]

hi hmmnmm, welcome

if i were you, i would try all manner of different kinds and styles of writing. you might find flash fiction suits you better than longer prose. There are huge variances in different word count lengths of prose writing, and often we don't find out those real differences until we get down and write stuff.

likewise poetry. there are so many styles and forms of poetry that it might take you a year to figure out where your preferences lay.

sometimes, it is possible that whatever you read, might be the way you would prefer to write.

whatever that preferred style is, welcome along and relax. post up a couple of your poems into this thread (something that you feel is NOT your 'baby' i.e. something that you have a little emotional distance from) and we'll see if we can give you helpful critique.

A lot of good stuff in your message.
Wise words.

Whenever I sit and think about the idea of a long and elaborate extensive work, the idea never fails to excite - but for some reason the narrative doesn't sustain a sort of cohesion. It is so much fun to just wander and ramble, but in many cases what may be enjoyable to the writer, the reader may not appreciate. Someone told me it was rather 'purple'. So sometimes a person maybe just has to take a realistic stock of where their real talents may be - or, painfully, where they may not be.

I already submitted something, just a test run - comments requested but no votes. It wasn't so bad, after finally pushing the Submit button.

I'll find something to throw in here, too, soon.
I have no babies but lots of embryos.

Thank you again.

 

[annaswirls]

enough chatter virgin

shush up and strip
everyone is already naked
and the water is divine

AH is cool, a few there have been very generous and helpful.
Once in a while someone complains that it's so cliquish, but there's a lot of activity going, and some have known each other for a long time, etc... It's like a great ongoing convention with all these discussions going on in different rooms and tables. I'm usually hanging at the bar, occasionally wander around and listen, once in a while offer a comment, that gets swallowed up in the crowd, or they stare back at me for a second, not sure if they understand. Then they go back to their discourse and I saunter casually back to the bar...
Stopped in at the How-To a few times, the vibes seem pretty open and casual there. Should visit more often.
When I first signed up with Lit, not knowing any better - an ignorant virgin - I made the mistake of positing a somewhat writerly question in the GB. Whew! Lesson quickly learned.
I do love to mess around with words, but without too many strictures.

If I was at a skinny-dipping party, I'd be the last to disrobe and jump in, and the last to get out, put my clothes back on.

Something like that...

 

[champagne1982]

Hi hmmnmm,

I just checked out your "experimental" posting of Jan 16th on your home page. There are some fantastic paragraphs that scream prose poem to me. If those are yours bring us an exerpt. It's terrific writing in any case. Compliments to the Tim of there.

 

[hmmnmm]

Hi hmmnmm,

I just checked out your "experimental" posting of Jan 16th on your home page. There are some fantastic paragraphs that scream prose poem to me. If those are yours bring us an exerpt. It's terrific writing in any case. Compliments to the Tim of there.

Thanks.
Those words mean a lot. And these words fall way short of expressing how much.

You mean the 'arctic python'?

And by prose poetry do you mean, like, pull out paragraphs and translate them into some semblance of line?

If I understand right, then I'll fix something up and bestow it here.

 

[champagne1982]

Thanks.
Those words mean a lot. And these words fall way short of expressing how much.

You mean the 'arctic python'?

And by prose poetry do you mean, like, pull out paragraphs and translate them into some semblance of line?

If I understand right, then I'll fix something up and bestow it here.

You can leave them in paragraph and sentence form. I'd really like to see what you would do to a section as you poetify it. Prose poetry can be a section of writing that has poetic devices melded in with the prose format.

So, can we call you Tim?

 

[hmmnmm]

You can leave them in paragraph and sentence form. I'd really like to see what you would do to a section as you poetify it. Prose poetry can be a section of writing that has poetic devices melded in with the prose format.

So, can we call you Tim?

So it's no longer secret.
So be it.

Still not sure what you're meaning, but I picked out a random couple sentences and messed around with them.



It is
at least to my soul
a mixed flavor
Pleasure and Pain
Yet without name
their source pure nature
the real way,
that which really
is As It Is




Also, messed around with others, that I may consider for submission.
Something like this:


bodies surged
broke the words
between she and he
the bodies,
bodies athirst
pushed hers

nothing personal,
merely happenstance

but he needed no words
her face, her way,
dared him to pray
to her

An open space
between his knees
Where she fit,
cozy squeeze
they’d pushed her
after all

The thirsty surge
pushed her,
the bodies
pushed her
between his open knees
Open lips ghosted
of vodka
and lime juice
hot hand lay
on his thigh,
high,
higher




Close eyes, hold breath
Submit Reply

 

[champagne1982]

Well, I'll just call you tihmmnmm, then.

See, you've grabbed the poetry and wrapped it up nicely... Your first example uses sharp contrasts and metaphor. I like the near-rhyme, Pain/name. So, I guess your heart's been telling you right. "Go forth and write poetry."

It is
at least to my soul
a mixed flavor
Pleasure and Pain
Yet without name
their source pure nature
the real way,
that which really
is As It Is

Thanks for trying this. I hope someone else will come in to see them.

 

[EriAliSaa]

enough chatter virgin

shush up and strip
everyone is already naked
and the water is divine

I love the directness of that. Almost no wasted words

 

[hmmnmm]

Well, I'll just call you tihmmnmm, then.

See, you've grabbed the poetry and wrapped it up nicely... Your first example uses sharp contrasts and metaphor. I like the near-rhyme, Pain/name. So, I guess your heart's been telling you right. "Go forth and write poetry."Thanks for trying this. I hope someone else will come in to see them.

Well, you're very nice and encouraging.
The thought crossed my mind, "Tim/hmmnmm/tihmmnmm, you've been in the right neighborhood but not in the right house, all these years."

Already noticed a couple lines in the second sample that don't really work...
I suppose one challenge is to recognize when you've got a finished poem.

Again, thank you.

The water's pretty divine.