Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 4:13 pm
I'm glad to be here. I can't recall when I started writing. I had a grandfather that used to recite all sorts of old poems and song lyrics that he claimed to have written. I've come to learn then many were popular lyrics from around the turn of the last century, but hey, the bug stuck.
For most of my youth I kept notebooks of what I thought of as song lyrics. As I got older and a bit better read I started thinking of them as poems and thought that since I did it so often I might as well learn about it.
I lived close to Northwestern University and wandered into their book store. Grabbed a book entitled, Forms of Discovery by Yvor Winters, read it and in the process was introduced to an entire world. I've since learned he's not such a popular figure these days, but that book opened the door and he still holds a warm place in my heart.
When my wife and I started dating and I was comfortable enough to show her my stuff, she encouraged me to try and publish. I have stacks of old rejection notices and a handful of publications to show for it.
It's funny my tastes in poetry run the gamut and are fairly common. I love Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson, but I'm also a big fan of W.C. Williams, Wm. Stafford, Hart Crane, I could go on.
My writing still leans towards the formal and lyrical. It's more laziness than preference I think. I like to have a frame, or rules to work with. Writing a good free verse poem is hard. I love the sound of language and admire those that can blend it with images and meaning.
I'm looking forward to all your help :P
For most of my youth I kept notebooks of what I thought of as song lyrics. As I got older and a bit better read I started thinking of them as poems and thought that since I did it so often I might as well learn about it.
I lived close to Northwestern University and wandered into their book store. Grabbed a book entitled, Forms of Discovery by Yvor Winters, read it and in the process was introduced to an entire world. I've since learned he's not such a popular figure these days, but that book opened the door and he still holds a warm place in my heart.
When my wife and I started dating and I was comfortable enough to show her my stuff, she encouraged me to try and publish. I have stacks of old rejection notices and a handful of publications to show for it.
It's funny my tastes in poetry run the gamut and are fairly common. I love Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson, but I'm also a big fan of W.C. Williams, Wm. Stafford, Hart Crane, I could go on.
My writing still leans towards the formal and lyrical. It's more laziness than preference I think. I like to have a frame, or rules to work with. Writing a good free verse poem is hard. I love the sound of language and admire those that can blend it with images and meaning.
I'm looking forward to all your help :P
And here I am avoiding form at all costs for the same reason! I get ya, though. I bet you're good at math, too 