~ The Poet's Place Cafe~

by Jay O'Toole

Rated: E · Message Forum · Writing · #1937709

A place for discussion on poetry, reviews, contests, etc.

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Jul 29, 2019 at 4:05pm

#3283821

Poetry: Process & Product

by Dave

PROCESS:

The process of composing poetry stimulates awareness by demanding close attention to the smallest details of our existence in order to maintain the ethereal connection between physical substance and spiritual truth.

Poets attempt to capture the subtlety, elegance, and hunger of the human spirit within the framework of each poem, transforming the mundane ordinary stuff you usually ignore and forget into an insightful glittering vein of poetic revelation. Through extensive study and practice, they develop an ability to conjure visions, which may or may not be different from those produced by actual events. They acquire a greater power to express what they think and feel with crisp clarity.

A poet's creative mind converts an autumn forest into a bouquet of leaves and plunges into the fascinating, unpredictable realm of experiment and exploration on a quest to find precise language which will communicate that vision to an audience. Words are gathered to build phrases. Phrases are arranged, rearranged, cut, and replaced, until the linguistic architect constructs a framework upon which to display the word pictures being painted, with the exciting anticipation of a child opening a box of Tinkertoys.

PRODUCT:

In the symbiotic relationship between writer and reader, the reader temporarily suspends the natural tendency to doubt and willingly crosses over into the province of enchantment, guided by the golden thread of poetic enlightenment. Like a passenger in a glass bottom boat focusing on the beauty of marine life below the water's surface, such as green loggerhead turtles and giant manta rays cavorting among colorful coral reefs, hopefully without the distractions of quirky vessel structure or sputtering engine, the reader soaks up stories told by tiny ripples in the current of human experience through the prism of poetic expression.

ASSIGNMENT:

Take a long swig from the cup of life and tell us how it tastes.

Let the creativity flow from your soul!