A little life update:

It's good.

I'm glad we got that over with. On to the point, but not literally, because that would hurt:

For the first time in months, I actually wrote something. It's complete crap, of course, but it rhymes, which by some people's standards makes it automatically better. I say: phooey. I also say that the first chance I get, I'm taking some classes in poetry. Writing or reading. Or both. I have this idea that learning facilitates accomplishments. It's so crazy, it just might work.

By not writing anything for months on end, I've come to some new, or at least more conscious than subconscious, better articulated understandings about poetry. Actually, the non-production and new understandings are probably completely unrelated. But both are true.

Understanding #1: It's more than the sum of its parts. Rhyme, lack of rhyme, clever wording, structure, mechanics, ideas--none of that is really it, and none by itself makes poetry.

Understanding #2: I am a terrible poet. Even should you have the urge, don't contradict me. I mean it (mostly) in a technical sense. Some things I've written are decent, but my abuses of the English language and purpose of poetry far outweigh any art I may have accidentally produced. 99.99% of my "art" is completely unremarkable in every way. But there is, or at least was, some sort of potential. As a 20 year old college student unremarkable even in her remarkable lack of remarkableness or accomplishment, I like to have some shred of dignity to hold onto. Potential be it.

Understanding #3: Most modern (amateur) poets are terrible. You may take this technically or just as a blanket statement. Both work.

Understanding #4: Creating poetry should always involve improvement, growth, learning something new, or relearning something old. It is never static; static people cannot create it.

Understanding #5: And it should never be attempted alone.


Happy writing, everybody.