Michael Pollan
...a strange collection of self-defeating words, often expressed by students of writing, as well as some bloggers, is I’m not a writer...which is absurd...particularly if expressed in written form, or in reference to something one has written...since, by definition a writer=one who writes...
...and, contrary to popular romanticism, everybody has to work at it...
...T. S. Eliot told aspiring poet Stephen Spender I can understand you wanting to write poems but I don't quite know what you mean by 'being a poet'...because he knew the high-falutin’ identity of the poet was a conceit...kind of like being a yogi...
...you write poems or you don’t...you practice yoga or you don’t...though, of course, the ways in which we define poetry or yoga may vary widely...which is kinda true of words in general...
...have long been an expert bullshitter, enjoy trash-talking before, during, and after Scrabble games, and would rather tell an amusing tall tale than a boring but factually accurate account...and, in all honesty, believe there’s a meaningful difference between all of the above and dishonesty...
...Seeing Eye Chick...not her real name, but that’s okay...was kind and generous enough to pass on the Honest Weblog Award...which is greatly appreciated...even if it makes me feel a bit self-conscious...
...that Pretenders song starts such a drag to want something sometimes...which, I think, is about as honest as anything you’re likely to hear...might even say it encapsulates the first two of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths in seven short words...but I’m not even quoting the lyric correctly...the last word is actually sometime...no s...which doesn’t make sense...grammatically, at least...then, much of the time, neither does the truth...
7 comments:
Congrats! That's a fun award, and you and your blog are fitting recipients.
I am a writer who writes and poet who poets a poseur with poise but not necessarily one who writes it in prose yet all in all there is still that scrabble game where words count only in their point value.
If I could learn to punctuate though...
This is a really fun post.
I assume you are famliar with POEM, Garrison Keilor's spoof of English Majors? (Professional Organization of English Majors).
I have a POEM t-shirt. Keilor's target of spoofing is even named Bob.
I haven't written poetry since high school, but I found I needed to start again to express some of the things I wanted to express on yogademystified.com.
Thanks for making me laugh today.
Bob Weisenberg
Congratulations on another award, drjay, and only you can turn an acceptance speech into a good post!
Not only a good post, but a frustrating one for me to comment on--aside from the congrats, of course. I thought I saw contradiction between your second and fourth paragraphs, but then again, I think I'm missing something...possibly knowledge of Stephen Spender. I'll move on as I've been obsessing way too long. A good post, though!
How totally meta.
I admit--I am not really much of a poetry person. Most of it just really irritates me. . . although poetry set to music (lyrics) -- that, I love.
But without music? Meh.
Melinda
Nice to be a bit too honest eh? Well at least you don't have to worry all the time..like a lot of people do..afraid to "lay it out there". This is your blog after all. Your free to do whatever you want with it. Isn't that nice?..:o)
I've never had an issue sharing with others in person that "I'm a writer" or "I write" or "I write "poems"...but you really got me thinking...I don't think I've ever said outloud or in writing that I am a "poet"..good point!
As to not being accurate when it comes to grammar, I'm number one at the screw ups...all the time..but I don't worry about it..dyslexia or not..it's what your saying or "writing" that counts to me. Einstein had problems tying his own shoes, let alone problems with his spelling and grammar.
Congratulations on being an "Honest Scrap"..does that sound a bit weird the way I put it?..hmm...sorry about that..;o)
Rhi
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