Free verse meets rhyme at Gulgong

[Neville Briggs]

a good poem remains a poem however it is written.

Sorry Vic, I just don't understand what you mean. A poem is a poem BECAUSE it is written in a certain way. That's what metre means, the words and lines are measured out into a particular pattern, that's the characteristic of a poem.

You might as well cut the Mona Lisa into several pieces and after looking at each piece declare that you wonder what the fuss could be because there is little artistic merit to be found in these pieces. The thing can only be understood or received correctly if it is presented in a complete work as the maker intended it to be.

The story about the fire extiguisher sounds like one of those urban myths. Even if true, it is a comment on post-modernism not an assessment of modern art. Modern art seeks to relate modern ways of seeing ( or in the case of poetry, saying ) to the contemporary world. The poem we have discussed is like that.

Post-modernism seeks to destroy the concept of logic. Jaques Derrida said so.
The Emperors New Clothes era, as you say Vic may well be upon us, but it's name is post-modernism not just simply contemporary practice.

You sure you were in the police force Nev or in politics

Same thing really, Bob.
Though I am not sure Bob, Ross what a political answer might be in this context.
You just need to think on those things.

[r.magnay]

...a political type reply to the question "Who decides what is poetry?" might be something like .... it is a matter of deciding ( right/wrong, good/bad ) or a matter of recognising and responding to " the ghost in the machine "....

[Neville Briggs]

Actually I can give a politicians response to your latest post Ross. I've been misquoted.

[Glenny Palmer]

..........how far away are you Heather?........should I crack the ice out too.......(for God sake hurry up. This is all giving me a headache, & I neeed summat to wash down the paracetemol.)

[r.magnay]

Ah yes Neville, so you have, my apologies, but it is probably more of a political type answer when correctly quoted, answering a question with a question is also something politicians do well...or often

[Neville Briggs]

Ah Matt, a brilliant analysis.

Poor Glenny, a cup of tea, a bex and good lie down was the old formula for headaches.

[Bob Pacey]

I thought that sounded a bit like what the original transcript was ?????


Sometimes we can tend to over analyse things.




Bob

[Vic Jefferies]

No Neville, no.
How the poem is arranged upon the page does not determine whether it is a poem or not.
Only if you want to pretend that a piece of prose is a poem does its matter.
Pick a poem, any poem written with true rhyme and metre and or good free verse and it remains the same if written in the prose style.
"I had written him a letter which I had for want of better knowledge sent to where I met him down the Lachlan years ago. He was shearing when I knew him so I sent the letter to him..."
If we take the example in question which I have already done and write it as prose it looses all appearance of being poetry! It becomes very plainly prose.
This at least to my mind is the difference between poetry and prose.
As for modern/post modern art I read in last Saturday's Herald that John Olsen's painting entitled Five Bells which adorns the Opera House is now considered perhaps one of the finest paintings ever created in this country. I was at the opening of the Opera House and remember the furore the painting caused when it was revealed that something that resembles a finger painting by a five year old child cost in excess of three hundred thousand dollars. I have seen the painting many times since and still agree it is a total nonsense.
Perhaps the fire extinguisher example may be an urban myth, but there certainly was a completely blck canvas displayed; empty sardine cans and a three legged stool just to mention a few wonderful pieces of art displayed in our National Art Gallery when I was last there.
The wheel will turn, it always does and eventually somebody in the public eye with clout will have the courage to denounce the crap so lovingly applauded as art and culture for what it really is...crap!

[Neville Briggs]

How the poem is arranged upon the page does not determine whether it is a poem or not.

I'm afraid that statement contradicts at least six hundred years of poetry in the English language.

I had
written him
a letter which I had
for
want
of
better

knowledge sent
to where I met him down
the Lachlan years
ago.


If you know what I mean.

[Glenny Palmer]

Neville....I did wotcha said, but I'm afraid I mis-read 'bex.' Should I start again with that cuppa tea..?