Writing about poems, I think, is a bit challenging. What is this poet trying to tell me? The words and their arrangements, structures and conventions are the only clues. The beautiful thing about writing about poetry is that as long as you support the words and conventions of the poem, your interpretation can't be wrong. It's a puzzle that can be solved in so many different ways.
The same thing you may ask yourself when writing a poem- what am I trying to tell my reader? You must also accept that as a poet your reader may not interpret your poem exactly the way you intended it to be interpreted. It's neat to think that your writing may mean something different to someone else and still make sense!
The difference between writing a poem and writing about a poem is that when you write about a poem, you are trying to excavate a deeper meaning. The words, metaphors, alliteration, structure, tone and all the other things poets like to use must be taken into consideration. And you must make sure your argument is clear as to why you interpret the poem in a certain way. When you write a poem, you are trying create the meaning with words, conventions, structure, but you already know what that meaning is, now you have to word it poetically.
Writing about Shakespeare's sonnet 116 informed my own poetry in a number of ways. It inspired me to write my own sonnet! I took note of the use of metaphor, alliteration, and rhyme scheme and used it in my own poem. I found iambic pentameter to be a bit overwhelming and decided to try it in the future after I practice a bit with it first. Writing my own poetry informed me that it is challenging to find the right words to fit when you are following a specific structure, especially with rhyming and iambic pentameter. Metaphors are also really fun to play and come up with, but I already knew that. I know I could have made the meaning flow a bit better in my first person poem. When writing about Shakespeare's 116, the theme flows throughout and that is something I must practice a bit more on this particular poem.
I think that in the future, I will have my students write about a poem with the same style as the one I assign them to write. For example, I will have them write about a haiku and then have them write a haiku. This way they can analyze the conventions of the particular poem, and then use that knowledge when they write their own.
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4 comments:
Hello Laura,
first of all, I give you props for writing a sonnet...Bravo! I agree with you that poetry is "a puzzle that can be solved in so many different ways." I like the way you said that because it is like a puzzle; in so many ways poetry is like a puzzle and that is what makes it challenging, exciting and fun at the same time.
You said that when you're writing a poem, you already know the meaning but you're trying to word it poetically, and I think it's really cool that you mention that because it is not an easy job to poetically express. When I was trying to write my poem, I went through a lot of trial and error, and it was not easy. At first, I didn't even know what I wanted to write. After some time thinking and exploring, I finally knew what I wanted to write, but this time the challenge was trying to express it in words. Sometimes, it is really difficult to express what you're feeling in words or in any way. I wanted to transmit everything I was feeling on paper, and I don't know if I did that. Somehow, things probably got lost in translation.
Your opening comments about the interpretation of a poem is something I struggle with as I analyze poetry. I always feel like I am about to misinterpret the poet’s meaning. When I write poems, I never consider the different interpretations people might find. However, as I analyze poetry, I ask myself, “If I was the author, how would I feel about this interpretation? Am I right on, or completely off track?” It was interesting to read about your take on writing poetry. It is helpful to know that as a poet, you enjoy the different interpretations people devise.
I appreciated your distinction between writing about a sonnet, and writing a sonnet. It is easy to look over Shakespeare’s sonnet and point out what he did, but it is an entirely different experience to actually try to accomplish what he did. Having read your sonnet, I think you managed to successfully accomplish this task. Having students write about a particular poem, and then try to create one of their own in the same style is an excellent idea. I know that writing about a poem always inspires me to make one of my own. It would also be interesting to have the students analyze each other’s poems. It would create an interesting discussion in class.
I definitely agree with your thoughts on poetry being a puzzle. I also agree with the idea that interpretation, whether the poet wants it to be or not, is completely subjective. I think that's one of the reasons why poetry is such a complex form of writing. We bring into our readings our own biases, experiences, and creativity that obviously cannot be matched with the poet's intentions.
I really enjoyed your poem. Writing poetry is difficult and I'm quite sure that it took many drafts to satisfy your intent in meaning. I too found it difficult to write in the beginning but as soon as I started, I realized, as you stated, that a poem's meaning is up to the reader to find and relish in.
As a teacher, I think that by allowing our students to do this same exercise they will enjoy and find that poetry can be something that they can get comfortable with.
Hi Laura,
I definitely commend you for writing a sonnet, I think that is very difficult (it would be for me). What you said at the beginning of your blog was very insightful, "What is the poet trying to tell me?" That is an important thought and something that we should ask ourselves each and every time we read a poem. I also agree with you that poetry is a lot like a puzzle and we as the reader are just trying to solve it, take it apart, and then put it back together.
I also liked your comment at the end of your blog in regards to teaching poetry. I think that it is a perfect idea to read a sonnet, write about a sonnet, and then write one of your own. I think that this approach will make it so much easier for a student to become comfortable with a style and then master it to the best of their abilities. I know that I always do so much better where writing is concerned when I follow by example. Taking the structure and style of a poem apart really helps you to not be as intimidated. I will most definitely use this approach when I teach poetry in the future, thanks!
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