I agree, with everything you say. I find that developing bravery in the face of one's own transient perceptions imperfection is a meta-strategy for creating greater and greater poems over time, and allowing poetry to flow more and more freely.
Recently, Felicia Rose Chavez's The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop has broken open many of my ideas on revision and writing! I look forward to digging into the resources you've shared here and re-lighting my fire for revision.
Vuong's comments interest me, especially in light of comments he's made in the past about process. During a Q&A he encouraged us to do as he does: write most of the poem in the mind before working with it on paper. I feel like I don't have the muscle for that.
I love this Post Radha! So much to consider, reflect on, and realign our definition of "good" and "finished" and "excellence". As in painting, finished is often a point reached where I find myself knit-picking small details only. I also recognize that my sense of a "good" or "excellent" poem is evolving the more I write and read poetry. It's the internal standard I choose to hear.
Yes,, I love this too. The poets quoted and who influence your own language here inspire me to recognize that all the changes I do are part of the tree growing, of the exchange between me on new-poem day 1, and me on the poem's third day of life. Thank you for this. As you know too, my poems are driven by sound, so I felt kinship with and encouraged by this. Thank you, dear Radha!
Love this— “excellence is something other than a judgement made by some authority comparing like objects”—because it reminds me of why I resist(ed) poem-making—yet it also reminds me of my teenage love for poetry sparked by Richard Brautigan’s line, “In watermelon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar.”
Hi Radha :)
I agree, with everything you say. I find that developing bravery in the face of one's own transient perceptions imperfection is a meta-strategy for creating greater and greater poems over time, and allowing poetry to flow more and more freely.
Recently, Felicia Rose Chavez's The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop has broken open many of my ideas on revision and writing! I look forward to digging into the resources you've shared here and re-lighting my fire for revision.
"...the book is a photograph of the tree." Yes. This.
Vuong's comments interest me, especially in light of comments he's made in the past about process. During a Q&A he encouraged us to do as he does: write most of the poem in the mind before working with it on paper. I feel like I don't have the muscle for that.
Beautiful essay and an important pivot point in perspective. I want to keep this close when I am writing.
I love this Post Radha! So much to consider, reflect on, and realign our definition of "good" and "finished" and "excellence". As in painting, finished is often a point reached where I find myself knit-picking small details only. I also recognize that my sense of a "good" or "excellent" poem is evolving the more I write and read poetry. It's the internal standard I choose to hear.
Yes,, I love this too. The poets quoted and who influence your own language here inspire me to recognize that all the changes I do are part of the tree growing, of the exchange between me on new-poem day 1, and me on the poem's third day of life. Thank you for this. As you know too, my poems are driven by sound, so I felt kinship with and encouraged by this. Thank you, dear Radha!
Love this— “excellence is something other than a judgement made by some authority comparing like objects”—because it reminds me of why I resist(ed) poem-making—yet it also reminds me of my teenage love for poetry sparked by Richard Brautigan’s line, “In watermelon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar.”