What the heck is poetry, anyway?
@sallypup (57858)
Centralia, Washington
June 20, 2017 12:52pm CST
Red Coat
Struck the match against the cast iron stove
muscle memory cast in the wrinkles between thumb and forefinger,
switchbacking my breath into my chest
my eyes gobbling the sight that is you
my soul's delight fed on greasy French Fries
I stand and perceive
even as I crave Doug fir's pitch on my skin
red wool coat and not this gray built on faded gray.
For me, poetry is a giving of self. An opening of a door into the huh? that lives below the surface. If I just write that the grass is green and I like it, I've not written what I consider poetry. If I write that the green grass is say, like a colt's flank on a May morning, then I'm working into the possibility of poetry. These are my ramblings. If you the reader feel different, then fire away. Poetic discussions are always welcome at my camp fire.
10 people like this
10 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
20 Jun 17
Poetry could be anything to me.
Any words or actions..even as to say poetry in motion.
2 people like this
no.@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@TiarasOceanView You're not a stick in the mud. You sound ready for action.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@TiarasOceanView You're an armchair literary conversationalist. Hey! The computer says I spelled that correctly. Amazing.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169955)
• United States
20 Jun 17
I would think that would be prose, but whatever it is, I like it!
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@snowy22315 Do you think poetry must rhyme? Now I'm wondering what prose is.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@snowy22315 Good. We can jaw on then.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Jun 17
I think poetry is different for different people. When things are said just right, that is poetry to me.
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@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Jun 17
@celticeagle Your comment reminds me of found poetry. Overheard words that cause a poem to happen. Sometimes the best ever.
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@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
21 Jun 17
it's not how I write poems, however, I really do enjoy yours and the mental images they invoke
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
22 Jun 17
@sallypup LOL!!!!!! well, I get strong visuals, even if I dont always follow the point of the whole poem, I can see the things mentioned, to the point of smells and sounds
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@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Jun 17
@Jessicalynnt I was trying to ask you how you write poems. I am glad I am hilarious.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Jun 17
@Jessicalynnt Thanks and tell me more, please.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
20 Jun 17
reckon such depends'n the point 'f view one 'tis tryin' to get 'cross 'n the sort 'f poem form one 'tis usin'.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
20 Jun 17
@sallypup a tiny horse'n a foal? 'r a tiny horse'n one'f those 't times most obnoxious mini's? lol both can be most powerful 'ndeed. i hope that all turned out well'n neither yerself nor the horse 'twas injured.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@crazyhorseladycx The obnoxious mini type horse. I called in a Vet to help and boy did he!! Mister is an In Between boy now and today when he got lose, I was able to walk him back to where he belonged. Wow on me. A 7 hand teeny raring his hooves at me was scary and sounds hilarious but dang those hooves are nasty. I can not afford to be knocked down a hill. So he is better now that he is a 2 yr old In Betweener. Love that gelding. Heh heh.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@crazyhorseladycx True. Go get 'em! You'll be pleased to learn that I worked on a real horse problem today. A tiny horse but quite powerful.
2 people like this
@Hate2Iron (15730)
• Canada
20 Jun 17
I honestly have no idea how you would describe what a poem actually is. There are so many variations... which one is accurate?
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@Hate2Iron. Good one. Accurate according to who or is it whom? Do we need perfection or is the journey the thing?
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
20 Jun 17
Poetry is certainly different things to different people @sallypup
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@PatZAnthony And cause of that we have a lively conversation. Fun!
@RasmaSandra (73407)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Jun 17
I have been writing poetry for quite a long time now. For it is a way to let my emotions out and to let everyone see what it is that makes me tick so to say. My love of poetry comes from my dad who was a popular Latvian poet and writer. When my muses start whispering I can write far into the night.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Jun 17
@RasmaSandra Your answer is thought provoking. Thanks. My feelings mesh pretty well with yours. My Dad was a story teller not a poet but often story telling is poetry.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jun 17
Your analysis is just right I think. It is a hard concept to define. I was at a reading last week where poet Joseph Millar (married to wonderful poet Dorianne Laux) was defending the poetry of "experience" which he said is losing favor to the poetry of "pure imagination." I have been wondering what poet's imagination is "pure."
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57858)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Jun 17
@JamesHxstatic The only pure that comes to mind is Jesus and His mother Mary. Otherwise we need the grit of life; the dirt under the fingernails; pain and promise, the hardness of rocks that are terrible to unearth.
