You can show your poem to your mom, your spouse, your co-workers, or your friends, but you might not get the responses that you can suck up into your little writing fingers to use in an effort to refine your craft. What does it really mean when someone who cares about you, but not for poetry says, "Wow, this is great. I really like it?"
So perhaps you've realized this conundrum and you've decided to put your poem, ripe and juicy, in the feeding bin of a cyber critique forum. Watch out. If the only feedback you've ever gotten on your diligently crafted efforts has been the sweet nothings from those around you, you might be shocked, upset, or saddened at the responses that the critics pile onto your poem. You might get, "This line is clich?;" "The rhyme is a bit forced here;" "The wording in this stanza is awkward;" or the ever dreaded, "What are you trying to say?"
A normal response to a critique with one, some, or all of the above comments can have a newly critiqued poet either running for the cyber exit, or poising himself in the ready for a fist through his monitor. Don't fret. As I said, these are common first responses; furthermore, even the most experienced poet has his share of poems infected by the harsh words of a critic.
So how does one handle a critique? Well, first, one must understand that a critique isn't a critique on the poet. Being a great poet doesn't make one immune to negative critique. The poet must ingest every word a critic throws his way. There is finesse to using critique. A poet doesn't have to blindly accept a critique, but he should consider just why it is the critic offered the suggestion, and then try to delineate how the critique relates to the aim of the poem.
Say, for example, you wrote a poem with short choppy lines. Your intention was to convey an abrupt sound that resembled the theme of your poem. Say a critic told you, "Your lines are much too short and choppy." Okay, now you don't have to go off and explain to the critic that you did it on purpose and that he is obviously ignorant. You might want to give your piece a second look-over, wait for some more responses, and chew on all of that for a while. So, given the critique of "too short and choppy," you might not want to totally change your piece in an effort to satisfy a critic who didn't understand what it was you were trying to do, but you could search for a way to keep your style while hinting at your purpose.
Always consider your intentions as compared to the way someone reads your poem. If you are finding that people don't understand your intentions, you need to re-work your piece within your own design.
The very first honest critique is always the most difficult one to swallow. After that, the critiques don't go away, they just become welcomed tools for the aspiring as well as established poet.
Devrie Paradowski is a freelance writer and poet. Her poetry has been published by several literary journals and she has written dozens of articles for various publications including "Poetry Renewal Magazine," and "Poetryscams.com." She is the author of the chapbook, "Something In the Dirt," which can be found at http://www.lulu.com/content/108560 . In 2001, Devrie founded a popular online literary community ( http://www.lulu.com/content/108560 ) that has become highly respected for some of the most honest and in-depth poetic critique on the Internet. In keeping with her commitment to inspire amateur writers to hone their skills, she also founded a local writer's group called, "The Fire and Ice Writer's Group."
Plano taxi to Midway .. Luxury transportation Madison(The city by the bay of Northern California, near which... Read More
Iquitos & the Amazon Part OneIt was December 2, l959,... Read More
The Exit Poems [And Socrates]Iron and FireIron can be... Read More
When I am climbing up, you are stepping down. When... Read More
It was not me as I am now. It was... Read More
In this modern age of technology, busy lifestyles, and obsession... Read More
Part OneI tell you a legend of long ago Of... Read More
I can see the cerulean blue of the skiesOr the... Read More
Like a cat I slumber, blissfully unencumbered, Through eighty per... Read More
The funeral rite concluded With the pastor shaking hands, Offering... Read More
Have you ever experienced infatuation with someone you know is... Read More
Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More
No one should have to beg or crawl before humanity.... Read More
Twilight, was now beginning. As forthe sun, it was down-down... Read More
The Incubus' Flash-lightHe looked inside my head And found a... Read More
Writing Poetry for TomorrowWhat does a man need to be... Read More
The Monster Mash The Graveyard SmashHave you heard of the... Read More
Says Mr. Dennis Siluk, when asked to review his poetry... Read More
Lima, City with the Stretched out WingsIt's an ink-black... Read More
Sometimes we feel hard-pressed, Our backs against the wall;... Read More
Shakespeare's sonnets require time and effort to appreciate. Understanding the... Read More
Footprints to Mantaro Valley (English version)In what retreat art hid?-Where... Read More
BoyhoodOh me! Thy glorious days have flown! I mealy noticed,... Read More
Cesar Vallejo: Black RosesBow down your head ol' poet- To... Read More
You've been writing poetry since that first assignment in your... Read More
bmw rental chicago Oak Forest ..Learn about love by reading poetry by a long dead... Read More
You've been writing poetry since that first assignment in your... Read More
"Beautiful Dreamer" was written by Stephen Foster just before his... Read More
Happy, Sad, Mad and Glad, Moved in down the streetCautious... Read More
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" was written by America's... Read More
To many non-specialists of literature, poetry is deeply unsatisfying. There... Read More
Delicately, my mind was selecting a muffled tune, out of... Read More
Thank youDedicated to soldiers and their loved onesFor those who... Read More
#25The King and Delka [Split Mawkishness-on Moiromma /Part V]Sickly SentimentalityI... Read More
Says Mr. Dennis Siluk, when asked to review his poetry... Read More
Four Poems: Katrina's PathwayHarvest of Apoplectic Horses ((Dedicated to: Katrina))... Read More
I never thought I would have to say GOODBYE to... Read More
The Monster Mash The Graveyard SmashHave you heard of the... Read More
So many looked to you for inspiration,Unlikely hero for the... Read More
I Shall Wait..On all the new mornings, and every singking... Read More
Ole Bulky JeepsThrough late summer's heat These bulky shaped jeeps... Read More
Blind DesignsBorn today, gone tomorrow Like a butterfly with no... Read More
In the Mountains of Haiti(In the City)-July is a hot... Read More
In this modern age of technology, busy lifestyles, and obsession... Read More
If a happiness poem could bring forth a smile, Then... Read More
Note: written after seeing the little adobe 16th century church... Read More
As I picked up some of the polished gemstones in... Read More
No one should have to beg or crawl before humanity.... Read More
Lord Byron's opening couplet to "She Walks In Beauty" is... Read More
Have you ever thought about how nice it would be... Read More
Poetry |