Comments on: Millennial Poetics: A New Way Of Thinking About Craft http://www.worldclasspoetryblog.com/millennial-poetics-a-new-way-of-thinking-about-craft/02/26/2008/ Commentary On 21st Century Poetics Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:13:20 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: the poet http://www.worldclasspoetryblog.com/millennial-poetics-a-new-way-of-thinking-about-craft/02/26/2008/comment-page-1/#comment-218 the poet Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:18:31 +0000 http://worldclasspoetryblog.com/millennial-poetics-a-new-way-of-thinking-about-craft/02/26/2008/#comment-218 There are people who say that the first letter in your lines should not be capitalized. That's an external convention I don't accept. Another one is that your poems should appear on one page. Says who? I guess that would take all epic poetry out of the realm of acceptable verse. Postmoderns for a long time had a prejudice against any kind of rhyme, but that was an unneccessary convention that made no sense. Of course rhyme is an acceptable element of poetics. Why wouldn't you use it? In my view, these types of prejudices aren't necessary. They get in the way of good poetics. Only <b>you</b> can decide what is an acceptable convention for your poetry. If you don't like to use rhyme - and rhyme is difficult to master - then that's your personal poetic. If you prefer not to capitalize the first letter of your lines then you can write your poetry that way, but if someone else likes to capitalize the first letter of the line because that's the way they write then that's their personal convention. Don't let anyone tell you that your preferences with regard to acceptable elements of craft are wrong or invalid. There are people who say that the first letter in your lines should not be capitalized. That’s an external convention I don’t accept.

Another one is that your poems should appear on one page. Says who? I guess that would take all epic poetry out of the realm of acceptable verse.

Postmoderns for a long time had a prejudice against any kind of rhyme, but that was an unneccessary convention that made no sense. Of course rhyme is an acceptable element of poetics. Why wouldn’t you use it?

In my view, these types of prejudices aren’t necessary. They get in the way of good poetics. Only you can decide what is an acceptable convention for your poetry. If you don’t like to use rhyme – and rhyme is difficult to master – then that’s your personal poetic. If you prefer not to capitalize the first letter of your lines then you can write your poetry that way, but if someone else likes to capitalize the first letter of the line because that’s the way they write then that’s their personal convention. Don’t let anyone tell you that your preferences with regard to acceptable elements of craft are wrong or invalid.

]]> By: angelawd http://www.worldclasspoetryblog.com/millennial-poetics-a-new-way-of-thinking-about-craft/02/26/2008/comment-page-1/#comment-217 angelawd Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:08:32 +0000 http://worldclasspoetryblog.com/millennial-poetics-a-new-way-of-thinking-about-craft/02/26/2008/#comment-217 This is an excellent list. I think the most positive points relate to the fact that good poetry must rely on good craft and deep creativity. I'm curious, though, about your addition that states poetry should shun external conventions. I am not sure what this means. Can you explain? This is an excellent list. I think the most positive points relate to the fact that good poetry must rely on good craft and deep creativity.

I’m curious, though, about your addition that states poetry should shun external conventions. I am not sure what this means. Can you explain?

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