Hey Virgil. I am gonna send you some poems. You don't have to read them, since I'm forcing them on you...and I know you must be SO busy right now! But, maybe...if you have some extra moments...and don't want to relax (because I don' think my poetry is relaxing to people) you can give them a read. Thanks!
Books on poetry are usually way above my reading level.
Yeah, well, it's impossible for someone to do that. There's too much involved. You need a good poet's book. And a book on rhetorical devices. I found that helpful. It just takes time, and reading and writing.
Those are the tools I need to learn that I'm not learning in school. I try to figure things out on my own, but I'm not very intelligent really. I've been trying to do some things with language in my poems that makes the language reflect back on itself, or in some way comment upon the human experience of sense or experience, but it has been coming out in a way that doesn't work. So, I'm trying to read contemporary stuff, reading Shakespeare right now for classes, and just trying to gleam the little I can slowly. But I wish someone could just sit down and explain things to me. Hahah.
That's great. Write and learn writing. Take passages of fine writers, copy them down, and observe how they work; observe the grammer, the syntax, the imagery, the structure, and so on.
Hahaha. I don't even attempt to write stories anymore. Only poetry. And I do complain alot...when it comes to art, I've been known to be kind of relentless with my standards. Honestly, I'm just amazed that the workshop group is free, and it's great, and my class I have to pay for and...well, not so much.
Hehe, you're always complaining. Hey that sounds really cool. The key at you age is to write, write, write, and get feedback. Best to you. One day you'll have to show me one of your stories.
Well, I'm in a class workshopping group at college. It's the beginner's level, and is being taught by a relatively well known poet--but I kind of hate it at times. It's very restrictive in many ways, and honestly, creative writing teachers are themselves creative writers looking for advancement, and it shows at times. I don't think there are people at the university who can really help me with the style of writing I want to do. The group I'm talking about is a community group. Has a few MFA graduates, and published authors. It's really a vast range of talents, but the people who are the most talented are in many ways saving my life. I could have been very unlucky and got a horrible group, but they are great, especially for my area. And every week I have to have a poem (well several for my class as well) so it's building discipline.
I'm fine thanks. What kind of writing group? Is this at a college?
Pretty well. I joined a writing group. How are you?
