Lost - The Language of Poetry(some get it back, most don't)

Steppe

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note - This is not a poem. I've used a short-lined free verse form just for convenience.

A long time ago
we all spoke
the language of poetry.

Listen to toddlers
yours or theirs.
A few things will become
apparent
you maybe didn't think about
before.

1. They use as few words as possible.
2. Their language is inventive.
3. They use few articles, adjectives, or adverbs,
and when they do, they are made-up and imaginative.
4. They are not primarily concerned with
explaining themselves.
5. They love the sound of their own voice
and so do others.

I have read that Emily Dickinson allowed few adults to her home,
but did have many children coming and going.
If this was true it would seem reasonable
to assume
that she listened carefully to their language
and even used some of it
in her own poems.

I think other poets have done this too.

About the age of 4-5
the young child is subjected to
parents, older siblings, peers and teachers all wanting them to explain themselves.

"What do you mean child?"

So he/she begins to listen
to grown-up language
and use more articles and modifiers
in their speech.

In other words they begin to use prose
in order to explain themselves.

Then they start school
where
by and by
they take up literature
creative writing
grammar -

the very foundations of prose.

By then
they have forgotten
their early days of pure poetic speech
and become so pleased and proud
of their wonderful use of prose.

Sometime
when a bit older
and a longing to write poetry
is upon them
they take it up in earnest.

And what happens!

They run smack-dab
into all the prose
they've taken such pains to learn.

All they can think of
is the ample use
of modifiers
and transparency
in their poems.

What they want to do most
is explain.

Richard Hugo in his little book
"The Triggering Town", wrote -
"I caution against communication because
once language exists only to convey information
it is dying.
Let's take language that exists
to communicate-the news story.

In a news story
the words are there to give you
information
about the event.

Once you have the information the words
seem unimportant.

Understanding the words of a news article
you seem to deaden them".

And again-

"Never worry about the reader,
what the reader can understand.
When you are writing
glance over your shoulder,
and you'll find there is
no reader.
Just you and the page.

Feel lonely?
Good!
Assuming you can write
clear English sentences,
give up all worry about
communication.

IF YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE'
USE THE TELEPHONE".

there are some poets
who believe
that every poem should be
completely transparent.

This is ridiculous on the one hand
and quite impossible on the other?

Transparent to whom?
Five year old child?
Ninety year old man or woman?
Well educated or barely able to speak
a clear sentence?
Persons not understanding
any word longer
than one grey cell?

To whom must we make our poems
completely transparent?

I have a longstanding feud
with prose.

It robbed me
of the beautiful poetic language
of my early childhood
and I have been striving
to get it back
ever since!
 
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Stew21

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it is a very nice post, Steppe. And in many ways I agree with you. Thanks for sharing it!
 

Magdalen

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So true! Thanks, I needed that.

I agree with much - it's why I think we are all poets, god bless us, every one!!

It's all I can do just now to type a word or two and hope it has some meaning to some one at some time or another.

Thanks pal.
 

Kylabelle

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I agree. And Steppe, thank you for posting this here. Cuts right to the heart of so much.