Thursday 12 March 2009

Why I don’t Like Poetry

When I was young I danced and sung and chuckled at the page
I memorised the limericks that in youth were all the rage.
I read aloud from Elliot, recited Tolkien’s lay,
fell in love with Shakespeare’s sonnets (and still am to this day)
But the thing that really gets to me – the thing that makes me curse --
is the way that modern poetry insists on blankin’ verse.

I’ve read your Keats and Auden and the poets of the war;
I’ve read the songs of love that had me coming back for more.
I’ve laughed along with A.A. Milne and cried with Sylvia Plath
and fell asleep while struggling with Chaucer in the bath.
But the thing that sets my blood to boil, the thing that gets to me
is the modern flush of poets with their concrete poetry.

I’ve learned the names of many forms and tried my hand at some
I’ve struggled with pentameter and tum-te-tum-te-tum
Put money in the meter and I’ve washed Iambic foot’
I’ve counted out the syllables and I’ve edited and cut.
But though I try I always fail to get the hang of blank
for though it reads like beauty I suspect the poem’s wank.

16 comments:

stu said...

But the free verse of Elliot is OK? Actually, I agree with the dislike of concrete poetry. I've never really got the hang of poetry that isn't meant to be read aloud.

aims said...

I don't even know what concrete poetry is my friend - but I really like this.

Rachel Green said...

Stu - I heartily concur!

Aims - thank you!

Unknown said...

I can hear you over here:>)

Love this!!

Gail said...

Wonderful "poetry"!

Pyzahn said...

That was absolutely fun. Yeah, I don't know what concrete poetry is either, but if you're this clever and don't like it, then I'm thinkin' it's not cool, man.

But I do share in poetry frustration. So I created my own format. Check it out when you get a minute at the link below.

http://prattlefromtheflatlands.blogspot.com/2008/09/ogeeku.html

BT said...

I love this Rachel, especially the last 2 lines!! I don't know what concrete poetry is either but I'm sure I won't like it!!!

Jenny Beattie said...

Oh another 'Rachel' to make me laugh out loud.

Thanks m'dear.

DJ Kirkby said...

I have heard Chopper complain many times about this very same thing. The only poetry he'll write is 'Spoken Word' for this very reason. xo

Rachel Green said...

Thank you ladies.

I actually confess to writing concrete poetry on object d'art.

Un Peu Loufoque said...

Ha! So I am not alone at least! Bought kids a vast volume of poetry recommended by the National Curriculum thinking it would familiarlize them with the verse of their mother tongue living a they do in France only to find its crap and hardly a rhyme in it.They learn French poetry every week at school by heart, love it.Bah!!

Rachel Green said...

Exactly, Madame! What happened to a poet slogging away over an iamic pentameter? These days it's just prose chopped into small lines.

Annie Wicking said...

What an amazing poet you are!

For someone who doesn't like it...lol.

Rachel Green said...

You are too kind, dear lady!

Friko said...

this is poetry?

At best I would call it verse. Sure, it rhymes, but that's just about it.

Rachel Green said...

*chuckles* @ Friko