| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do/did you write poetry? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | | Between my 15's and beginnings od 20's | Apr 16, 2006 |
I used to write poetry but only for myself (as well as stories - adventures + romances). I was ashamed to show it to other people (and still am... my 3 or 4 note-books of poems are very well hidden from curious eyes).
I never meant to be a poet, but I felt like I was good at it. :0) Nowadays I look at it and think that anybody could have written that. By my mid-twenties I stopped writing and I feel a bit sorry for that. But "inspiration" never came once again.
I used t... See more I used to write poetry but only for myself (as well as stories - adventures + romances). I was ashamed to show it to other people (and still am... my 3 or 4 note-books of poems are very well hidden from curious eyes).
I never meant to be a poet, but I felt like I was good at it. :0) Nowadays I look at it and think that anybody could have written that. By my mid-twenties I stopped writing and I feel a bit sorry for that. But "inspiration" never came once again.
I used to write sad poems about sad loves. I guess that changed because I've found my real love and I could only write about my sad feelings.
I'm really looking forward to read other experiences and see if anyone else has the same point of view as mine.
Best regards to everyone.
Ivana ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Started earlier :) | Apr 16, 2006 |
Me too... I started to write prose and poetry at the age of around 10. My first story (planned to be a novel) was about a 6-year old girl who got kidnapped from her house but was clever enough to get free by her own resources! I was very proud about my first "work" and showed it to my parents. Unfortunately, they could not help but split their sides with laughter which made me feel offended and abstain from sharing my later literary experiences ... See more Me too... I started to write prose and poetry at the age of around 10. My first story (planned to be a novel) was about a 6-year old girl who got kidnapped from her house but was clever enough to get free by her own resources! I was very proud about my first "work" and showed it to my parents. Unfortunately, they could not help but split their sides with laughter which made me feel offended and abstain from sharing my later literary experiences At the age of around 14 I wrote a poem (a very lofty one, although not regarding love but school life) which won me some pocket money in a competition held by a young people magazine.
After that my inspiration somehow left me and at a certain stage of my life (rebellious late teens) I got rid of my early "works", which I regret very much now (would I split my sides with laughter?).
As an adult person I participated several times in competitions held by the biggest Polish newspaper but only once was successful enough to win a book in appreciation of my literary effort This time it was a poem with regular verses regarding spring rain. And then the newspaper stopped holding literary competitions and I haven't written anything for the last couple of years... I'm waiting for my inspiration to inundate me with ideas...
Happy Easter,
Agnieszka
[Edited at 2006-04-16 06:53]
[Edited at 2006-04-16 06:55] ▲ Collapse
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I wrote some poetry, but it never was published. I rather concertrated on proze; books, stories, novelettes... So far I published 5 books traditionally with several more stories to read online.
Somehow poetry was never enough "challenging" to me
Anni
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IanW (X)
Local time: 01:52
German to English
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| Who needs poetry ... | Apr 16, 2006 |
... when you have ProZ
[Edited at 2006-04-16 10:39]
| | | | Jack Doughty 
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:52
Russian to English
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In memoriam | ProZ has poetry too. | Apr 16, 2006 |
There are quite a few poems by members in Proz forums, including some by Enrique Cavalitto (who started this poll) and myself.
"Published" is a broad term. I have had one or two poems published in anthologies by a publisher specializing in amateur poems, and a few in a magazine run by the same people, "Rhyme Arrival" (now folded), but the circulation was very small.
I had my first poem published in a local paper during WWII at the age of nine, but I haven't been able t... See more There are quite a few poems by members in Proz forums, including some by Enrique Cavalitto (who started this poll) and myself.
"Published" is a broad term. I have had one or two poems published in anthologies by a publisher specializing in amateur poems, and a few in a magazine run by the same people, "Rhyme Arrival" (now folded), but the circulation was very small.
I had my first poem published in a local paper during WWII at the age of nine, but I haven't been able to find it in the paper's records. From 1955 onwards I have written many poems, nearly all light verse. Many of them have been parodies, including parodies of songs.
I have translated poems from Russian, mostly Vladimir Vysotsky, and also two by Enriique from Spanish (see http://www.proz.com/post/35490 for one of the latter).
Purely for my own amusement I have attempted to write poems in Russian, German and once in Spanish. I would never want to see these published, but a Russian one and a "Spanish" one are on ProZ - I asked in the Spanish forum for help on improving that, and it was generously given. http://www.proz.com/post/24625
I think the best results in translating poetry are achieved in collaboration with a native speaker of the source language. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Zawadzki (X)
Local time: 01:52
English to Polish
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| Poetry? Not necessarily. | Apr 16, 2006 |
But a lot of dirty rhymes (limericks). I will have it published in spare time. A few more serious things will be left unpublished.
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Been writing poetry since my early teens. Then in my mid-20s I managed to publish a small book of poetry.
The next thing I knew I was called for a book presentation in my hometown. At that time, 10 years have passed since I had last visited my hometown and I thought that no one remembered me there. But the event was so sweet!, so many people I used to know came to hear what I was writing about; my teachers, professors, friends, ... Instead of a 1-hour presentation, we stayed for 3 ... See more Been writing poetry since my early teens. Then in my mid-20s I managed to publish a small book of poetry.
The next thing I knew I was called for a book presentation in my hometown. At that time, 10 years have passed since I had last visited my hometown and I thought that no one remembered me there. But the event was so sweet!, so many people I used to know came to hear what I was writing about; my teachers, professors, friends, ... Instead of a 1-hour presentation, we stayed for 3 hours in the town library, talking about so many things!
Some of my poems were published here and there, but I wrote so little lately, which makes me so sad... Writing poetry was my way of talking to me, to life, and solving my dilemmas. This self-search has been replaced with loads of work and sometimes I'm afraid of robbing myself off of these inner dialogues. Hopefully not!
Seadeta ▲ Collapse
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Parrot
Spain
Local time: 01:52
Spanish to English
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but prose seemed a bigger challenge. When I succeeded in putting a story together at 15, I decided to go for a novel... and probably made the mistake of showing it to mum, a published writer.
Her advice: go out and live a bit more.
I was mortified enough to desist even when less demanding editors had already given me a byline (which is probably the shortcut to hackdom), but by that time, translation had beg... See more but prose seemed a bigger challenge. When I succeeded in putting a story together at 15, I decided to go for a novel... and probably made the mistake of showing it to mum, a published writer.
Her advice: go out and live a bit more.
I was mortified enough to desist even when less demanding editors had already given me a byline (which is probably the shortcut to hackdom), but by that time, translation had begun to appeal as more decent.
Now that I think I've made the grade (my mother's, anyway), I find myself shying away from self-revelation, which is invariably the poet's lot and -- I think, anyway -- the prose writer's bad taste. I mean, how do you get away from autobiography? (This, after involvement in the plastic arts, where even your fingerprints show up. And if I can find autobiography in so much literature, who's going to insure they won't do the same to me?)
Poetry is an act of courage
And I'm a coward.
Were it but a question of craft
to profess, but not confess! ▲ Collapse
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Parrot wrote:
Poetry is an act of courage
And I'm a coward.
Were it but a question of craft
to profess, but not confess!
Attended Creative Writing classes some time ago. The lecturer was also a harsh reviewer of our stories, texts, essays... all but poetry.
When asked and begged to look at some of our poetry work and maybe give a critique or two, point us to a certain direction or whatever, he refused, saying something like this:
*Prose is like stepping on ice, walking over the surface and reaching the other end. I can judge if the walk was slow or fast or steady or wobbling, if it appeared elegant or clumsy. Poetry is like stepping on ice, slipping and scattering yourself to zillions of pieces... I cannot judge if the fall was nice or elegant enough.*
| | | | Dan Marasescu
Romania
Local time: 01:52
Member (2003)
English to Romanian
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| A good one, Quique! | Apr 17, 2006 |
I'm surprised to see that over 50% of ProZ.com users have written poetry.
Ceci, I understand you well when you say you wish you could escape autobiography. At the university, we studied autobiographical literature for one year and I was fed up with it. There's nothing wrong with being personal, but there's a problem if you cannot get passed that as a writer.
I only wrote poetry a couple of times, because I needed to impress my wife. ... See more I'm surprised to see that over 50% of ProZ.com users have written poetry.
Ceci, I understand you well when you say you wish you could escape autobiography. At the university, we studied autobiographical literature for one year and I was fed up with it. There's nothing wrong with being personal, but there's a problem if you cannot get passed that as a writer.
I only wrote poetry a couple of times, because I needed to impress my wife. ▲ Collapse
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I wrote a few poems and a short story, but only for myself and for... my love. I've never thought to publish them. From my point of view, poetry is for expressing deep feelings while sometimes it is a sublime way to release the soul from sadness or loneliness.
Best wishes,
Marina
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| No, never and I won't | Apr 17, 2006 |
Because as you say "poetry is for expressing deep feelings" and I never know how to express them with a pen, not even in prose. I always feel clumsy and have no inspiration.
I wouldn't count those who "have never written poetry but could" among those who have, I read the figures differently than Dan does.
Claudia
| | | | Dan Marasescu
Romania
Local time: 01:52
Member (2003)
English to Romanian
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You're right, Claudia. Let's say over 40%.
Claudia Iglesias wrote:
I wouldn't count those who "have never written poetry but could" among those who have, I read the figures differently than Dan does.
Claudia
| | | | Blithe
Local time: 19:52
Russian
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| When I was young and silly | Apr 17, 2006 |
I started to write poetry when I was 11 and finished in the early 20s. I never showed it to anybody (except for some funny verses) and I haven't even kept it, though I still remember by heart a couple of my most "significant" poems. I really don't know why I did it, certainly not for fame or money or even to impress somebody. Maybe it is just something young people do and then they outgrow it?...
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