There's always been something about poetry that just reeks of self-proclaimed superiority. We don't need all the words you lesser writers cling to as if your lives depend on it. Our writing distills the complex into the simple, and in doing so, cements our status as the only people who can truly see. Our eyes are open, and it is our responsibility to give you, the huddled masses, a glimpse into the fantastical world we live in. Was all that hyperbolic? Maybe. But I can't help but feel that people hear poetry with the expectation of profundity, and are then forced to apply it to every word, fearing that if they weren't moved by 3 lines, something must be wrong with them. I'd bet that if a poem were placed within a novel, and edited to appear uniform with the rest of the text, it's intended effect upon the audience would not be achieved.
So it's fair to say that I came in to Citizen skeptical. But after a few pages, I was hooked. The subject matter is interesting and grounded, the use of second person helps greatly in getting you invested, and the constant time and setting changes create a brisk pace. It's really engaging, and I say that with total sincerity. I never wanted to dislike poetry, and this book proves that I was wrong to do so.
I completely understand your view that poetry might be a little snobby, especially if people rave about a poem that you don't understand. But with poetry, I think writers are pushed to think outside the box a little more since they have to make such a bold statement in very few lines.
ReplyDeleteHa. I think you're right on about the less than modest approach poetry gives off sometimes. I think it's not the poetry itself that's pretentious, it's when people talk about poetry. Some things can't be articulated, and poetry can give a really great experience that doesn't always need to be explained. Great post.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading that Perrine article, I felt the same way as you. The way he tried to describe poetry with such superiority like it was written solely by an elite group of writers maked me want to stay away from most poetry.
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