The dreaded cliche

[daughter]

Folks--

Often a poet will argue that it's okay to use well-worn words or phrases in a poem. Afterall, "It worked for so and so." The fact that it has been said a thousand times or by someone famous is the reason why it should be avoided. A reader is interested in hearing your voice and your words not somebody else's. I am not against using common terms all together, but when you put 10 cliches in a 5 line poem, what have you said that is new or creative?

When a seasoned poet or a voracious reader reads your cliche riddled poem, her eyes glaze over. If I never see "passion" again it will be too soon. Yes, I'm as guilty as any other poet. I look at my earliest works and even some current pieces, and I cringe with embarrassment because as a reader I know these terms add little to the text.

I argue if you must use "kiss, rain, tears, thrust" make sure you couch it in interesting images and phrasing that support it. Otherwise, you poem sounds like a rendition of an old tune.

Folks after reading, "fingers kissed, breath inhaled, becoming one" for the 1000th time, how excited do you get?

I have a list of cliche terms I try to avoid or use judiciously. Feel free to cite your own. Here's my list:

passion
burning
soaring
fire
*soul
*soulmates
dying
embrace
ecstacy
river
tears
joy
breathless
fingertips
floating
forever
hot
thrust
one
rose
petal

*should be stricken from the English language. I have one poem on this site that is chockfull of cliches. Folks loved it. Too bad, it doesn't sound anything like me. One big collage of everybody but me.

Peace,

daughter

 

[English-Passion]

To daughter's excellent list, I would also add that there is another insidious use of cliche that must be avoided at all costs: the cliched euphamism!

Surely the world of erotica would be better off without

Rampant manhoods
Swords of passion
Erect members
Her womanly core
pillows of delight
mounds of Venus


Come on - add to the list. Which well-worn meaningless phrases do you just hate to see in a story or a poem?

English-Passion

 

[Ravenswing]

I'll just get out my Kama Sutra and quote something about jade staffs and perfumed lotuses (loti? whatever).

Um, how can you possibly do without 'thrust'?

 

[KillerMuffin]

What is a thrust?

 

[daughter]

do without

EP--

Now you know you're going to get it for knocking some these fine phrases. LOL


Raven--

I suggested that a writer be careful how often and how many of these terms you use in a single piece. I didn't say 'never' use. I said use judiciously.

How many ways can you describe penetration without saying 'fuck'? I'd say plenty. I don't know how many stories and poems you have read on this site, but I've read enough 'thrust' in selections here to render the term limp.

Peruse the title list of poems and see how many poems have 'passion' or 'fantasy' in the title or the poem. So many times, you'd think our vocabularies were limited to less than a thousand words.

Peace,

daughter