Title Review Part 2

[annaswirls]

November 15-17

What do you think of the titles from the New Poems List ?

Here is the complete list. I selected 9 for the vote, please write in your favorite if I missed it



Aussie Limericks 80-100 edit -
Submitted by TonyDowse (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Condom -
Submitted by Nigel Debonnaire (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Show me -
Submitted by echoes_s (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Small Thing -
Submitted by SpectaclesInSkirt (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Fields of Black and White -
Submitted by SexyCleric (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Wandering the Maze of Self -
Submitted by SexyCleric (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Two Pillows -
Submitted by SexyCleric (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
No Regrets -
Submitted by nz_marie (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
California? -
Submitted by Senna Jawa (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Harlot Crest -
Submitted by bluerains (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Her quicksand skin -
Submitted by MinorMonster (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Butt -
Submitted by Cal Y. Pygia (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Standing on a Threshold -
Submitted by txtMasterspet (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
The Battle -
Submitted by SexyCleric (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Sue Lewis My Married Sex Machine -
Submitted by Sissy Adele Howells (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
Jackfruit -
Submitted by Ajaloko (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Come Home To Me -
Submitted by ALEXIS_96 (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Count on it -
Submitted by ListenHere (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Dark Passions -
Submitted by yourlittledominatrix (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Perceived by taste -
Submitted by moonstormer (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
She's gone now -
Submitted by warrior_wolf (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Spiraling Down -
Submitted by oregon_gal (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Vibes -
Submitted by seannelson (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Perception -
Submitted by Obsydyan (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Tight Before Christmas -
Submitted by Ossey (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Dawn -
Submitted by thedreams_master1 (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Generation Gap? -
Submitted by iqespresso (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Too Touchy -
Submitted by Tristesse2 (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06
This For Sure Death -
Submitted by f-cynyr (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06
Their Dusty Day -
Submitted by f-cynyr (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06
Will we meet -
Submitted by thedreams_master1 (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06
Cliché Cut and Paste -
Submitted by postobitum (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06

 

[Angeline]

I picked the requisite two, but I thought many of the titles were really good. I especially also like Her quicksand skin.

I am absolutely awful at coming up with catchy titles and often revert to using the first line of the poem (hell, it was good enough for cummings and Yeats!). I marvel at the ability of some people to come up with titles that are as creative as the poem itself (sometimes moreso). How do they do it? I usually feel drained at the end of a write--too much so to come up with something that I feel cleverly summarizes (or makes some point about) my poem. And that's a drag because I know people will often choose to read a poem on the strength of its title.

 

[annaswirls]

There are many ways to look at titles. One is for the immediate grab a reader value, which is tricky, because different people are grabbed by different things. I tend to be attracted to a title that promises a poem with something clever, a twist on the everyday.

Sometimes a title can be understated, though, to be read as a part of the first line. Or it can be a way of setting up the reader for what to expect, as in Oregan Gals, Spiraling Down and Small Thing by SpectaclesInSkirt

Some of these titles did not grab me and pull me in as I scrolled through the new poems list, but after reading the poem, I could appreciate their value.



Aussie Limericks 80-100 edit -
Submitted by TonyDowse (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
I do not like limericks, (nothing personal!) so I appreciated this warning. A purely descriptive title might pull in readers or turn them away before they even give the poems a chance.

Condom -
Submitted by Nigel Debonnaire (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
This poem deserves a better title.

Show me -
Submitted by echoes_s (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
a This title pulled me in, it was like I had no choice because of its commanding language. Wins my first little purple a award


Wandering the Maze of Self -
Submitted by SexyCleric (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
I shy away from poems with titles that seem as if the poet is promising some universal understanding or exploration. Words like Self and Soul make me want to read the next poem. Just me. I actually liked this poem! Definately worth the read.

California? -
Submitted by Senna Jawa (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
a One word, one punctuation mark say much about what to expect from the poem. It made me want to open it up, find out what was happening that made the poet question-- what happened that was unexpected, unpredictable?

Harlot Crest -
Submitted by bluerains (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
I never saw these two words put together before, I wanted to get in there and find out what was happening....


Her quicksand skin -
Submitted by MinorMonster (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
This is a great title, and an interesting poem to match. Was it VampireDust who came up with the challenge?YES Here it is.



Sue Lewis My Married Sex Machine -
Submitted by Sissy Adele Howells (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
ick. okay just personal preference, tells me there is a silly slapstick goofy sex poem inside, makes me want to run just my opinion and preference


Jackfruit -
Submitted by Ajaloko (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
a I love this title. What the hell is Jackfruit? I thought. And the sound of the word I had never heard before drew me in. The way the syllables punched in one at a time, ending with such hard sounds.


Perceived by taste -
Submitted by moonstormer (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Clever title. Enticing


Tight Before Christmas -
Submitted by Ossey (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Another one that was honest in telling me what it was, unfortunately, it is not the kind of poem I enjoy, but since I was trying to read all of the poems, I reluctantly clicked.... I appreciate that the title was honest and surely many people enjoy the style.

Generation Gap? -
Submitted by iqespresso (Erotic Poetry) 11/16/06
Another title with a question mark. Good techinque to draw the interest

This For Sure Death -
Submitted by f-cynyr (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06
a The phrasing in this title drew me, the words seem a little twisted, leading me to believe that the poet knew how to turn a phrase.

Cliché Cut and Paste -
Submitted by postobitum (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06
This might be a truthful description and maybe the poem was well written and clever, but the word cliche is so taboo in poetry, that it made me cringe and want to move on. I think that the cliches were self evident, and a different title would work better.


Standing on a Threshold -
Submitted by txtMasterspet (Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06

Their Dusty Day -
Submitted by f-cynyr (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/15/06

Fields of Black and White -

Submitted by SexyCleric (Non-Erotic Poetry) 11/17/06
these are 3 nice titles.


Disclaimer:

I have no special qualifications to judge these titles beyond my own experience. I browse through a lot of poetry. I read a lot of the poems and I don't read a lot of the poems (here there and everywhere.) And a big part of the decision to read or not to read lies in the title. I do not expect nor want anyone to cater to my personal tastes. I have appreciated feedback like this in the past, and thought while I have the time and inclination, I would do the same.

By the way, I HATE writing titles. It is so fucking hard. So please do not take it personally if I judge your title. Mine, more often than not, suck. It is an exhausting process for me, I often just give up and post a poem anyway.

Keep on writing!

~anna

 

[champagne1982]

This is my write in... Cliche Cut and Paste. I wanna read it just so I can see what they've done with the old saws

 

[annaswirls]

I picked the requisite two, but I thought many of the titles were really good. I especially also like Her quicksand skin.

I am absolutely awful at coming up with catchy titles and often revert to using the first line of the poem (hell, it was good enough for cummings and Yeats!). I marvel at the ability of some people to come up with titles that are as creative as the poem itself (sometimes moreso). How do they do it? I usually feel drained at the end of a write--too much so to come up with something that I feel cleverly summarizes (or makes some point about) my poem. And that's a drag because I know people will often choose to read a poem on the strength of its title.

I do the same thing!

And Her quicksand skin was a title put out there as a Title Challenge put out there by VampireDust (thanks Liar for confirming) , that is why I did not include it on the list... thank you for pointing it out, a very catchy title!

 

[Guest]

Anna, the word cliché is cliché?

I loved the title, Her quicksand skin by MinorMonster. Remec did a good one too. The title is an image all on its own.

 

[Liar]

I liked California? and Cliché Cut and Paste best. Promising titles that piqued my interrest.

That was, before I read the poems. California? delivered imo. But Cliché Cut and Paste would have worked better as a title if it actually had been something else than, or something more than, what the title suggests.



And yep, Her quicksand skin is courtsey of vampiredust and his title challange thread.

 

[annaswirls]

Anna, the word cliché is cliché?

I loved the title, Her quicksand skin by MinorMonster. Remec did a good one too. The title is an image all on its own.

well, I am not sure it is cliché but it does scare me away

 

[flyguy69]

I agree: titles are hard to write. Mine are always afterthoughts, and contribute nothing to the poem.

Emily Dickenson didn't even bother.

 

[annaswirls]

I agree: titles are hard to write. Mine are always afterthoughts, and contribute nothing to the poem.

Emily Dickenson didn't even bother.

Lazy bitch.


eh hem

I am with Ange-- and always think of cummings when I want to just use the first line.