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."
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..Key Largo:The fans turn lazily in front of the doorThey... Read More
Grandpa's House [The ole Real House]The house needed painting Sun-blistered... Read More
1) Shadows of the Andes [or: Song to the Andes]I... Read More
Lord Byron's opening couplet to "She Walks In Beauty" is... Read More
FIND the MAGICFind the Magic As you release old bondage... Read More
Amy King Antidotes for an Alibi BlazeVox Books ISBN 0-9759227-5-0... Read More
The Torrents of HellHell's furnace- Likened to a chimney Vomits... Read More
Once upon a midnight dreary, coffee cold and vision... Read More
Like a cat I slumber, blissfully unencumbered, Through eighty per... Read More
You are to me my lifeline my security. That scares... Read More
It's dark, it's cold, its' just six thirty,thoughts of sleep... Read More
Fair Andes! Thy arms reach highOf iron-woven solid stone Thu... Read More
Take some time to stop and look at nature. Pick... Read More
My eyes opened. I am still alive; Living on... Read More
Poetry is more than just rhyming and prose that is... Read More
In the quiet of the arctic night- In its deep... Read More
Phantom of the Rocks[Huancayo, Peru]Night falls deepUpon the traveler!Low, over... Read More
Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More
Ded?cate to Antonio Castillo. L. Of. Los Andes UniversitarioOde to:The... Read More
Thank youDedicated to soldiers and their loved onesFor those who... Read More
Chicken Soup is good for a coldSleep is good for... Read More
Poems have different cores, or so I believe, and can... Read More
On through the darkness she searches the bones Seeking the... Read More
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" was written by America's... Read More
Poet Stephen B. Wiley's first book of poetry, Hero Island,... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..Writing innovative poetry, the kind of poetry that reputable literary... Read More
Happy, Sad, Mad and Glad, Moved in down the streetCautious... Read More
JOINEDHeart beat of man pounding - yet unheard joined... Read More
[As Told by the Last] King: it was in the... Read More
So Many Einstein'sThe morning mist, insists there is a God.... Read More
Once upon a midnight dreary, coffee cold and vision... Read More
1.Evil's CreationThou knowith evil clings To tender peace-; Nor does... Read More
Asha of DarfurCry, cry-oh little Darfur woman For your sister... Read More
When I am climbing up, you are stepping down. When... Read More
Let's follow the poet to his Hell and heaven! Count... Read More
English Version1) Grendel's DivorceYou must know that I do not... Read More
How I wonder what he's doing as I sit alone... Read More
Mother's Day Poetry,I'm Sorry Mom!I'm sorry for the troubles ... Read More
Lord Byron's opening couplet to "She Walks In Beauty" is... Read More
Delicately, my mind was selecting a muffled tune, out of... Read More
You make me smile like I've seldom done before You... Read More
BoyhoodOh me! Thy glorious days have flown! I mealy noticed,... Read More
Thank youDedicated to soldiers and their loved onesFor those who... Read More
Robert Burns, a poor man, an educated man, and a... Read More
Like a cat I slumber, blissfully unencumbered, Through eighty per... Read More
One of the most important poets of the post-war period,... Read More
Atahualpa's Game [Peruvian]Sometimes, it's not wise To share your wisdom... Read More
What Hides behind the Minute?What hides behind the minute? It... Read More
Truth is stranger than fiction according to many people who... Read More
[Episode Five]Arizona Blue-GunfighterThe Wolves Nest-in the North[Episode Five]Northern Minnesota Area?Winter... Read More
Poetry |