On Poetry...

In light of our discussion in class on Friday, I am posting some websites here for you. I suggest you read them.

http://www.brocku.ca/english/jlye/criticalreading.html

http://garts.latech.edu/owl/literature/poetryguide.htm

http://www.english.upenn.edu/~mgamer/Teaching/Handouts/readingpoetry.html

http://www.thescreamonline.com/essays/essays08-01/poetry.html

I think most of you will benefit from what these sites have to say as I chose ones that specifically discuss the issues brought up in our class discussion.

There are articles from my point of view and there are a couple that argue the points that some of you brought up. In addition, some of them may help you in your TPCASTT or other poetry analysis.

Now, I would like to address the comment made at the bell on Friday. The comment was to the effect of "We were taught that any interpretation of a poem is a legitimate one." I think some of you misinterpreted the teaching you have received on poetry. Granted, poetry is open to interpretation but not all poetry is. Many times a poet has a particular idea in mind and is attempting to communicate that idea. Rarely does a poet sit down in front of the keyboard and has no idea to explore. Good poetry is an attempt to explore the unexplorable.The problem that arises--and its one I believe many of you are wrestling with--is that a reader brings his or her own experiences and perspectives and opinions to a piece, transforming it. Many times critics and analyzers of poetry may reveal something within a poem that was never intended by the poet, and that is good, but the reader's interpretation does not eliminate the intention--if any--of the poet. That initial impetus for the writing of the poem is still there, the idea or event or whatever being explored in the poem still exists.

It is your job as a (willing or unwilling) student of poetry to not only explore your interpretation but also the poet's intent--if any. You do that by examining the tools the poet used in the creation of his or her art. What does a specific word do for the poem? Why that word? What effect did that spondee have there and why a trochee here? What do those rhythms bring to the piece? Why rhyme this poem? Does the idea lend itself better to free verse? These and a thousand questions must be asked.

Why study poetry? Some of the sites above answer this question, but I feel I owe it to you to give you my own explanation: In life we as human beings have a need to interact with people. As much as humans like being alone, we cannot function without social interaction. In my opinion, nature hasn't developed anything more complex than the human relationship. Many times people have said, "I wish people came with an instruction manual," but people don't, so we are left to our own devices when it comes to dealing with those around us, parents, friends, teachers, etc. Yet, we have a need to understand people and relationships we share with them. We want to know what people are thinking, how they feel about us, what they believe to be true about the world and about life. We spend the majority of our lives analyzing people and their behavior and their motives, and most stay an enigma. Occasionally we may understand something about a person; some aspect of who they are comes into focus, but not always and not often.

Poetry is like people. Poetry surrounds us and just like people needs to be analyzed to be truly appreciated. We don't always like examining the people around us, but we do; same with poetry. We may not always like analyzing it and believe that analyzing somehow diminishes that person or that poem, but it must be realized that is just not the case. True understanding and only comes with analysis. Studying poetry is studying words, studying people, and studying life.

P.S. Unless one or more of you can find or create a better way to analyze both the structure and “soul” of poetry, TPCASTT is here to stay. You have Christmas Break because it looks like the poetry writing and tests won’t be until the week we return from break.