A Recipe for Verse By Me***, Member Choice ~ Wizard Awards Options

[jgdittier]

Member Choice Award Winner

*Graphic provided by
Celtic Castle Designs


*Graphic provided by
Celtic Castle Designs

First a letter, then a word
and now a sentence thought...
Has in fact a start occurred
from which some verse be wrought?

Once a stanza now be writ
let's locate das and dums.
Slash and dash a form, be it.
When filled it sings, it strums.

Rhyme?, it must, if j g d's.
A scheme be now assigned.
Vow, must I, I'll them appease
or I shall be maligned.

Yore's the time I must promote,
our taste today will fade.
Milton, make this boat to float
Don't rain on my parade.

Windmills may be ready ploys
for questers just like me.
Poems come from men, not boys.
You may, or not, agree.



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[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Ron,

This isn't about me but please indulge me for a minute...

My Economics degree was available in two flavours - BA or BSc. I opted for the former because I am no scientist in training, nor mind. After a very short while on the course I asked a tutor how the two variants were taught differently. He laughed (knowingly!) and explained that there was no difference whatsoever. So all I could do during the three years was to take the more arty-farty options and avoid, like the proverbial plague, anything which included measurements and other scientific approaches. Despite one stutter (in Stats, of course!) I did pass and directly used the degree for 21 years thereafter (teaching).

You'll understand, then, that I have headaches whenever anything looks too numeric; too scientific; too codified; too logical. In short, if it has any sort of pattern I probably am driven away. (I was a happy bunny until some damn scientist discovered Chaos Theory. I revelled in the idea we had a genuinely chaotic Universe; not one where, amid the chaos, were patterns!)

So I can read such poems and say "well done" etc. I certainly can see the craftsmanship which has been lavished upon them. Some I can partly enjoy - some I even enjoy quite a bit. However, I think your poem has, for me, marked a second full stop - and I thank you. Recently, Alan tried hard to explain ba-dums to me (just like my Music teacher, 35 years previously tried in vain to explain rhythm). I tried to be taught by Alan, as he was kind enough to make the effort but I realised it was pointless. I didn't have the skill, the interest, nor that sort of mind. In a similar way, I have spent quite a while reading and re-reading this tile and you have convinced me. I must keep well away from iambic intentions and metrical musings. It would really upset me to build a poem in the way you show - and I am quite incapable anyway.

So, thank you very much for the lesson - which I attended several times. It is much appreciated. I have not learnt what you were teaching (sorry - my fault; not yours) but I have finally learnt to remain happy in writing poetry by avoiding the approach which you demonstrate is necessary to construct that type of poem. I have often thought myself a little lazy not to learn but now that I have been on the introductory course, I know it's not for me. In 1979 I stuck with Economics because the subject itself has little fixed: it is all about human intentions and choices and they can never be fully nailed-down (despite efforts by Mathematical Economists and their diabolical works). It included History and Politics and Political Geography... all these enabled me to accept the bitter pill of maths , Stats and Econometrics. But, in poetry, I already have access to the artistic side so I can safely avoid the pattern side. Anyway, I only studied Economics for three years - that was enough (those pesky mathematical approaches and patterns kept invading the fun areas!)

Thanks Ron. You really have done me a big favour. You have rested my mind finally about my approach to poetry writing and I am very grateful.

Heck, it was about me. Sorry. But it was in thanks to you.

James.