One of the things we did in the first part of the evening was to think about what poetry is. The answers went up on the big whiteboard, and I've copied them onto my notes, to share with the world. I didn't note down who wrote what, but I assume we'll all remember our own words.
Here are the classes' answers to the question 'What is Poetry?':
- A different way of looking at things, a more descriptive way
- More concise than prose
- It's not only rhyme
- A group of words
- Emotion recalled in tranquility
- A fun way to spend my time
- You can ignore the grammar with poetry, more than prose
- Anything that isn't prose or drama
- Poetry has the power to move one's emotions
- Poetry helps me to think about life
- Bonsai prose!
- With poetry, it matters where the line ends
This final response went further, and led to the phrase being discussed, played with and set out differently, leading to two more poetic ways of placing the words on the page. Line endings were discussed and I feel a deeper understanding of this achieved.
With poetry, it matters
where the line ends
With poetry
it matters
where the line
ends . . .
What do you think about this - What is Poetry to you? Please leave your answers here, for the class to consider next Tuesday night, if you wish! Comments are always welcome!
you seem to have covered all the bases.
ReplyDeleteI was interested in the growth and devolution of your original group: we have lost a member of our writing group today. This sadeens me but somei=one else with more time and more opportunites for commitment will take her place. Just as your new group is growing
Thank you for your thoughts John. I know of another writing group in the country that seems to be suffering at the moment because one of the members has personal issues that they're having trouble moving away from.
ReplyDeleteThis is hearsay, passed on from someone who heard it from another person. I can see how it could happen though. Our Chapter and Verse group has conditions of membership that members sign up to. I hope this will keep us on track. So far, it's all going amazingly well. I suspect having meetings in a good pub helps!
Some of the people at last night's workshop are members of Chapter and Verse. It was easy, fortunately, I was talking to, tutoring, friends. Good practice for something bigger in the future, perhaps.
Groups are organic things, growing, shrinking and responding to events that occur.
March 7th 2013
DeleteToday's exercise was based on the prompt, "The Day I Didn't Wake Up"
What a boring day that was! I obviously slept for 24 hours and everyone was panicking except me. Eventually [on the morrow] I woke up and watched TV all day. It wasn't much different from sleeping all day, but at least no-one was panicking.
I don't much like this topic, but I can't complain; most prompts have worked well for me.Everyone else is writing screeds of creative, arty stuff, except for Alex who has written less than me., but he is probably writing a wonderful poem which everyone will just love.
La De Da!
I am sure I dreamt in some of that day when I didb't wake up, but, hey, I can't remember dreams very well.
Maybe I should explain why I didn't wake up. There's a thought. I had been involved in a non-stop Irish Dancing competition for the previous 72 hours, hoping to set a new world record and get our names in the Guiness Book of Records. We did do it, but 12 months later a Nigerian group beat it.
Such is life.
Everyone else is writing more. You've got to be kidding.
Alex seems to have come to a halt. He seems to be considering what he has written, or maybe he is daydreaming about his next car.The other four are still scribbling away, bless their little hearts. Alex has his biro back on the page, but he is just resting it there. Ok, he's off again. He added another line.
Colleen has run out of paper. Far out! It's all good and happening at Chapter and Verse!
This was such a fun exercise! We all went to strange places in words, and I'm glad this prompt worked. (it was my idea, and it felt a bit risky, but obviously is was a good one!)
ReplyDeleteThe prompt is the title of one of the poems in a new Poetry Anthology, 'Versus'. Five poets were asked to respond to 15 prompts, and they were put together in this wonderful book! Details are available here:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/pure-slush/versus-pure-slush-vol-5/paperback/product-20708093.html