Poetry

or why I loathe (see I spelled it right that time) it...


So, my Teaching Creative Writing class has moved on passed creative non-fiction (stuff I liked and was good at), fiction (stuff I still like and was okay at), to poetry (stuff I loathe and suck at). According to my professor and the "ahhhtists" in the English department, no poetry except free-verse "slam" poetry is worthwhile. This leave out anything not written since, oh 1930ish?

I detest free verse and slam poetry.

Okay that's a bit harsh. I can't lump all free verse and slam poetry into the same category. Okay, so I don't hate all free verse and slam poetry, but I don't see the point of the vast majority of it. Now, I apologize now to all poets of free verse and slam reading this - there's like what two of you? But the thing I can't stand about free verse and slam poetry is the self-righteous/self-important banality of the majority of it. I really don't give a damn what you thought about your peanut butter and jelly sandwich or how you felt in third grade when your "girlfriend" of 10 minutes broke up with you!

Okay, that was a but harsh too. I do realize the need for some to express themselves and difficult situations through poetry. Fine. Great. Express all your feelings and needs out, just don't make me read them, please?

I realize the irony in what I have just written, given that I have just made you read all my angst ridden tripe. But at least I'm not pretentious and calling it a poem. Oh no, this is just an old fashioned bitch-fest. :)

Sigh. I love blog therapy.