Poetic police

Wanted I'm on the run
from the poetic police
for crimes against true poetry.

Im breaking the rules,
the very fabric,
the strict format
it's nineteen eighty-four.
They're closing in.

The law states
the structure of poetry
is to abide by, to control,
to instruct,
and regulate writers.

Caught I'm in a cell
solitary confinement
I write on the walls.

Reviews

[keith]

welcome to the realm of truth in writing ... the land of free verse, of cognitive thought and presentation of another facet
if one is searching for fame, for popularity then you are perhaps on the other side of the coin
there are few here that reject standard restrictions in writing ... in life
write what you want
write how you want
fuk what others want
it is your pen ... let it be!

[softlyfall]

I agree that creative freedom is paramount but in reality, if you want to be a poet, make a living that way, you have to consider what lies without as well as what lies within.
It seems there are those who write for personal reasons and those who truly feel they ARE a poet, that what others say is necessary to consider if that is to succeed.
And most of us are a synthesis of elements of both.
Truth is a very personal and also a very mutable thing. I always have to smile when somebody says that something is THE TRUTH

[Ken e Bujold]

whole heartedly agree Keith, with one small caveat. I am a disciple of Pound, who takes his one rule of modern verse very much to heart: in order to break the rules one must first know what the rules are

[softlyfall]

Isn't that what I said? I hope so, that was what I meant

[keith]

every line written
every stroke of the brush
the pot thrown
the sculpture completed
is by definition art
receiving coin for such makes it no more valuable that the others
good fortune to you

[softlyfall]

by whose definition?
Art is "the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance"
Not any pot thrown at the wall satisfies those criteria. And, yes, this is speaking of consensus opinion so it would have to at least be majority rules.
Art is also
"any field using the skills or techniques of art" with the operative words being skill and technique.
Not every poem is art. Hallmark cards are not art. BAD poems ( by collective standards) are decidely not art.
If you do not want to learn the rules, so be it, but to eschew them as unnecessary simply because you have no ambition is a but myopic.

[keith]

pots thrown are done on the wheel not the wall

thank you for illuminating the 'real meaning of poet and art
i suggest you do not take to task those you do not know or lay down absolute definitions
but thats only a suggestion
my argument concludes in the photo tab of my profile page

[softlyfall]

I suggest that you do not tell me what to do
I have no interest in your profile page

[keith]

you know nothing about being an artist
i am a very successful artist/sculptor/potter/author/poet that has made a great living from my art for the last 50 years
you on the other hand are a wish lister

i have already given great support for your writings

good luck using your 'feeling' you are a true poet

[softlyfall]

Let's see, my uncle was a noted sculptor in Mallorca who was commissioned to do a street sculpture in Barcelona, still there. My aunt was a textile artist there favored by the many Germán citizens in the island of Mallorca. her mother, my grandmother, was a concert pianist and HER sister sand opera- they both lived in NYC and performed at Carnegie Hall. My father was a painter, well known, who worked at Stanford University. My mother made jewelry out of found art that now, after her death, auctions at quite high prices.
I was an art major at the University of California Santa Barbara, got my degrees there in studio art.

Could be you are wrong again?

[softlyfall]

Oh and my poetry was first published at age 12.

[softlyfall]

See here is the thing... I WOULD agree with you but, then,
we would BOTH be wrong.

[andrew mitchell]

Thank you all for your reviews.

[keith]

writing checks on others success don't cash
your elitist values that delete all that don't fall into your adopted philosophy on who and what art is proves my point
just who the fuk do you think you are defining what is and isn't art
big whoop on your 12 year old published piece

you still know nothing of art or what it is to be an artist ... your opinions are based on others work
good luck living on an empty pocket

[andrew mitchell]

My art is my own. don’t like it don’t read. You are blowing a humorous write out of proportion. You need to chill out.

[andrew mitchell]

Your issues are your own not mine. I just write and everyone has an opinion just like yours I respect that. But don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill. I’m not professing to be anything just expressing freedom of speech. So keep your fuks to yourself .

[keith]

did you not read my review/comment?
all that followed was in response to the little sorority girl that commented on my comments to you
no where have i made a disparaging remark about you or your works
i have been nothing but supportive of your writes andrew
somewhere down the line you mistakenly think i am directing negative comments towards you

[andrew mitchell]

My mistake , my apologies Keith. I misinterpreted your further reviews as directed to me.

[keith]

you and me are good andrew
if i had a problem with your writes i wouldn't come back
i still like this piece ...

[andrew mitchell]

Thank you Keith. Sorry for the mix up.

[softlyfall]

It's quite alright, Andrew. I am certainly neither offended nor intimidated by somebody whose literary proclamations of superiority and also whose threats are delivered with appalling grammar

[softlyfall]

I do apologize< Andrew, for any displeasure or discomfort that brought to you, yourself. I will not lie. I have tried and it never ends well. I am candid and forthright and often too impulsive and uncensored so I end up being the stick in the hive. For that, Andrew, please forgive me. For the truth in all that I said to Keith, I stand strong and decisively do not apologize. Except that as a lover of all living things, clearly i have touched a nerve and made him defensive which seems a bit bullying so I will leave him alone.

[andrew mitchell]

All is well.

[redd Brick Keshner]

Your poetry is your poetry and also to those who see it as such, The rest of them... well, they are 'the rest' which is not centre stage. That's their loss. lol. It really isn't about them, is it!

[carl]

What a good read. Great ending. Especially enjoyed the 1984 reference ("Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past,") It would seem there are artist for both sides of the law and hopefully an audience for all. The danger it would seem is seeing personal preference as a law that must be obeyed. I did a drawing in college which was criticized by a professor b/c it was similar in style to a famous artist. His reasoning was, "well, he can do that, you can't." Go figure.

[Patricia Wedel]

The writing on the Walls with thoughts of
a World where Freedom survives... in every
Corner and behind every Door... where
Peace and Love remain as an ultimate Goal...
gently, Pat

[andrew mitchell]

Thanks Pat, certainly ruffled somebody’s feathers on what was a humorous write whereby I don’t classify myself as a true poet just a plodder in free verse.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Andrew… perhaps we can reach someone who needs to know that Life is Full of Beauty in spite of the Pain. gently, Pat

[andrew mitchell]

Indeed Pat, good advice. 😀

[Ken e Bujold]

it would seem your Police have stirred some passion Andrew. A fine poem, with much to be chewed. I always love to see a work that roils the hearts and minds of readers.

Ken

[softlyfall]

me too, it was quite fun

[andrew mitchell]

Thanks guys, I don’t often receive so much attention lol.

[softlyfall]

What if the poetry police have pink champagne and pink fuzzy handcuffs?
I am all for breaking rules, quite enjoy it as a matter of fact in every aspect of my wayward life...
but...
in terms of creating art music poetry ...
usually
in fact always unless you are a prodigy
If you study, learn and master the literary rules, grammar rules etc then you will end up with a much much more powerful pen with which to write.

[andrew mitchell]

I’m a bit of a free verse writer certainly break the rules. It gives me more flexibility and covers up my flaws. Thank you again softlyfall.

[Chris Shaw]

Rules are made for breaking. I learned the rules for the poetry police years ago and now I continually break them. I don't write in a straight jacket anymore. I like the freedom of free verse. I like where you went with this piece Andrew.

Chris

[andrew mitchell]

Thanks Chris , yes freeverse covers my faults and flaws quite nicely lol.

[Robert Haigh]

Ha-ha! A fun write, with more than a pinch of truth! Different camps have different views in the poetry world. Most of my poetry is structured and has meter and rhyme, but I also write free verse. Poets should be free to express themselves in whatever form (including freeform) they wish. Expression, in a poetic way, is the main ingredient in poetry, I would say.

[andrew mitchell]

A nice cover for flaws is free verse for me Robert. Not talented as other writers who do proper poetry with ease.

[Brad Dehler]

I relate to this poem very much. I appreciate the many components, but viscerally the basis
"The law states
the structure of poetry
is to abide by, to control,
to instruct,
and regulate writers."
Strikes me because I have had this same criticism. My style is typically freeform
and devoid of those police parameters. Cheers!

[Coyote Poetry]

Me too Andrew.
"Caught I'm in a cell
solitary confinement
I write on the walls."
If the walls written on could talk. They could tell us tales of hell-storm and mystery. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote