Posted by trouble on February 20, 2002, at 6:49:04
In reply to (poem anarchy) THE BEAUTIFUL BOYS, THE DEAD BOYS , posted by kid_A on February 19, 2002, at 23:00:29
Kid_A,
Talking to a poet about a particular poem is risky. Illicit. Forbidden fruit.
Discussion may not expand the poem's meaning, may in fact reduce it, so one has to be particular about giving it over.
I refuse to discuss my work w/ people, and not just b/c no ones asked me to. All the poets in this city are supposed to act ashamed of being poets, we never directly support each other, and the ones who do are looked on with pity, but all of us are secretly rooting, in a shuffling, shoe-gazing sort of way for anyone who manages to bust out.I never ask these people for a mutual exchange because they're jealous, suspicious, reclusive, well, POETS, and I'm not going to play that game.
Lately I've been having a lot more poetry problems, a burden I've resigned myself to carrying in pained and polite solitude. I did try talking to my psychologist about them and he gave me a stock Jr-executive-in-a-mid-career-slump-pep-talk which made me sigh and murmur, "I know you mean well," sigh. And he said "Ouch." But I know I meant well.
So I'm wondering, having read a number of decent works by you, if you've ever discussed poetry problems w/ someone on PSB, if that would seem verboten, or too far afield of what the board is supposed to be.
Just wondering.
trouble
poster:trouble
thread:18543
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020214/msgs/18560.html