I write with my eyes closed Options

[Guest_jackthrockton_*]

Hello all,

I am a novice poet, but experienced writer. I have authored two books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of totally and completely forgettable corporate works. While my passion has been in prose, I have found of late an abiding interest in poetry.

As a newbie, I have no style as yet. I'm exploring different forms and pushing myself to simplify my work, as my poems are sometimes too subtle to many who read them. I write with my eyes closed most of the time. When I write non-fiction, my eyes are open. But in poetry, they are always closed. I use sounds of words and parts of words to generate the lines. Sometimes, the sounds are very clear and the words follow accordingly. Other times, I hit a wall. I hear nothing, see nothing and write nothing.

Of the 20 or so poems I have written so far, I can pick out the one line in each that people will comment on most. I love feedback of all kind, good or bad, if given with honesty but without cruelty. Some critics, I have found, offer very constructive analyses; others seem more intent on reconstruction.

I look forward to participating in the forum.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hello Jack and welcome to MM!

As mentioned in PM, I hope you find MM a place of interest and added learning. I have been trying to transition to prose (fantasy story in the works, I should say the outline still, lol) for quite some time and find the journey fascinating but difficult. I would imagine it's a similar experience for you to transition from prose to poetry. Like Wally, I have experimented with many different forms of poetry (I shy away from free verse personally) and keep coming back to R & M. When I started writing in 2002, some more experienced poets would tell me my feet don't dance. Luckily and thankfully, they stuck with me; their knowledge transfer and patience has helped me immensely over the years.

We all strive for the perfect critique I think, one that really lifts the writer, and shows them when the message isn't clear as well as offering solid, friendly advise on how to make their works shine. It's a difficult task, but one I truly enjoy. I find reading other's critiques to be a huge help too, when the feedback is positive and beneficial. I wish you well in your own writing adventures!

Welcome.
~Cleo