[Bards] An Idea

[Fitzmorgan@cs.com]

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In a message dated 8/4/01 9:35:02 AM Pacific Daylight Time, iainmacc at juno.com
writes:


>      I agree, it is an excellent idea. However, I wonder how useful it
> would be to someone in my position.
>         Nearly all of the work I am proud of comes from I don't know
> where and demands entrance to my skull. It informs me in no uncertain
> terms that I will get no sleep, no food, no peace of mind until I write
> it down.
>         The result of this is that I know virtually nothing about
> "technique" when it comes to writing poetry or lyrics. I write down what
> I hear in my head, and check it by two criteria: a) Does it flow
> smoothly, and b) Can it evoke in others the sequence of emotions that I
> felt when I first "heard" it?

       For me writing often has two parts.  The inital rush of inspiration
and just getting it down on paper, followed by re-writing and polishing.
Usually the inspiration only gets me started, with maybe the 1st verse and an
isea of where it want it to go.  After that it's often a matter of using the
tools of the poet to get me from where I started to where I want to go.  For
me poetry is about choices.  Having a solid grounding in technique and craft
helps me to make better choices and gives me more options.  The more things I
know how to do the more options I have.  For me inspiration is not the end of
poetry it's the beginning.

Robert