| User | DavidHirt |
| Topic | Written or Spoken |
| Message | So what is poetry? Is it written or spoken word? We call it Creative Writing, but isn’t it really an art that is meant to be read out loud? To be appreciated sonically? Isn’t the highest level of praise for a poem that it reads well or sounds beautiful? After all, poems were originally meant to be spoken or sung pieces. Are there actually two different types of poetry: Written and Spoken? Are they two different art forms?
What defines the different types of poetry? If poems are written pieces, then font, lineation, symbol, they all become paramount. Sight rhyme is effective. If a poem is meant to be read silently, then shaping the line to look like something is an acceptable way of forming a piece. One could even add color to it, like a painting, with types of words and images and phrasings each getting its own color or font to give it texture or mass or shape. Consider Arabic as a language and a mode of Artistic expression. If Poetry is a spoken medium, then sound becomes the paramount critical measure. We look at Meter, at Rhythm, at Rhyme, at Internal Sound. We as poets need to be aware of this dual nature of our art because even if we aren’t our readers will be, on some level. |
|| Replies ||
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-07-08 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | ridiculous, then. But answer the question. why, on a poetry site, is it ridiculous to talk about whether poetry should be written or spoken? |
| User | Logic | 2006-07-06 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I wrote ridiculous for you already, yet you still spelled it wrong? Explain that to me. |
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-07-05 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | Why is it rediculous Logic? Explain that to me.
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| User | Logic | 2006-07-05 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | This topic is ridiculous too. Ask tZar. |
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-06-16 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | ee cummings is definitly a visual poet. Another example is "I". or maybe it’s called ’lonliness’ I’m not sure. I’ve experimented with both kinds. Visual and sonic. I like them both. Visual is often much harder to write, though, because you have to have a surer sense of where things lie. My poem At the Trim of Shore is part visual, part spoken... but if you don’t see the poem, you loose about two thirds of it. |
| User | joeyalphabet | 2006-06-16 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I think there are some poems ("Grasshopper" by e.e. cummings is one example) that are meant to be seen rather than spoken, but I think it’s really what the poet wants to say. There are some poets (names escape me right now) who produce work specifically to be read aloud. |
| User | Lost Sheep | 2006-06-05 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I think all writing is about communicating meaning, but there are various wasy to do that. A tech manual is a rather dry, non-creative way of communicating. By comparison any poem even cliched as hell, is going to be creative.
Steve |
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-06-04 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | And yet when one studies poetry it falls under "Creative Writing". Interesting, yes? |
| User | Lost Sheep | 2006-05-30 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I’m with Jase on this one: it’s all about the meaning and I suppose conveying it. There’s an artistry to reading or accompanying that can can help convey the meaning of spoken poetry. I suppose it could be argued that the "look" of the page can enhance the message, although it usually fails to move me personally.
Steve |
| User | alteredlife | 2006-05-26 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I’ve gone to quite a few reading and read myself-- while there is an obvious sonic appreciation which can’t be dismissed, you can also miss a lot of what the poet is saying-- hence why reading it is just as important to pick up absolutely everything. But then again, vocal inflection is everything when it comes to reading pieces out-- and that is something that can’t be put onto paper. |
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-05-25 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I agree that the sound of poetry is essential. The sonic level of poetry is my favorite. But I still like a nice look on the page. |
| User | joeyalphabet | 2006-05-25 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | that’s how all literature and stories got started and it remained that way until the advent of printing. i think poetry should be heard to be fully appreciated. i’ve been to a few readings and it has enhanced my understanding of what the opet is trying to convey. |
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-05-23 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | I’m beginning to think I should have posted this on the debate board since we agree on what we’re saying ;) |
| User | alteredlife | 2006-05-22 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | Reading anything becomes an audio-visual experience. The act of reading requires sight. To read it out to oneself requires a vocal and listening effort. So, poetry should accomodate as many angles as possible (in my opinion)... which is basically in accordance with what you’re saying David. |
| User | DavidHirt | 2006-05-22 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | Of course meaning... but this is part of it. One part of it. I’m not going to try and tackle every part of poetry in one posting. Then It’ll just be everybody telling anybody who’ll listen the same thing they say on every other thread I put up and it just get’s redundant.... not to mention oversaid. ;) |
| User | alteredlife | 2006-05-22 | |
| Subject | untitled |
| Message | All of what you just said is nothing without Meaning.
And poetry can be either or-- written or spoken. Some poems just want to be read out silently. Originally, "poetry" was meant to be spoken or sung-- but they also had music to go along with it in most cases... hence the popularity of Music over Poetry nowadays. Just my thoughts. |