Comments on: When to Quit a Poem? http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:03:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: deborah http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63287 deborah Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:28:01 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63287 I think it was Sylvia Plath who worked and re-worked poems until they worked. That's determination. I wonder if we all do that to some extent. Even if I abandon a poem today, the germ of an idea will come back later and perhaps turn into a poem. I think it was Sylvia Plath who worked and re-worked poems until they worked. That’s determination. I wonder if we all do that to some extent. Even if I abandon a poem today, the germ of an idea will come back later and perhaps turn into a poem.

]]> By: Dennis Loney http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63275 Dennis Loney Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:39:45 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63275 Some smarty (a Russian smarty, I think) once said that "a poem is never finished, only abandoned." I think that, in part, is true. The question then becomes why it was abandoned. Is it because it's as close to finished as possible or because the poet is bored with it, or lazy, or has to feed babies.... Sometimes I think that I convince myself that my poems are "finished" to avoid the ditch-digging-type work of revision. I'd rather flit off to another project than sit down and tinker with a poem. But I know when something is wrong with a poem and I trust that voice. And I'm getting better at avoiding my laziness. I just ripped apart and rebuilt a poem and it's better for it. A couple years ago I would have never done that. Some smarty (a Russian smarty, I think) once said that “a poem is never finished, only abandoned.” I think that, in part, is true. The question then becomes why it was abandoned. Is it because it’s as close to finished as possible or because the poet is bored with it, or lazy, or has to feed babies….

Sometimes I think that I convince myself that my poems are “finished” to avoid the ditch-digging-type work of revision. I’d rather flit off to another project than sit down and tinker with a poem.

But I know when something is wrong with a poem and I trust that voice. And I’m getting better at avoiding my laziness. I just ripped apart and rebuilt a poem and it’s better for it. A couple years ago I would have never done that.

]]> By: M. C. Allan http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63264 M. C. Allan Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:05:33 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63264 I've quit relationships easier than I've quit poems. I guess my general rule is that if they keep bothering me, I stick with them. Often, I find they quit me, and when that happens, it seems to be a sign; I prefer to be chased! I've had poems that stopped bothering me to get them down after a week, but others have hung around in my brain for years before I write anything down. Those aren't necessarily abandoned, just in hibernation. I’ve quit relationships easier than I’ve quit poems. I guess my general rule is that if they keep bothering me, I stick with them. Often, I find they quit me, and when that happens, it seems to be a sign; I prefer to be chased! I’ve had poems that stopped bothering me to get them down after a week, but others have hung around in my brain for years before I write anything down. Those aren’t necessarily abandoned, just in hibernation.

]]> By: christine http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63263 christine Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:33:12 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63263 There's a David Mamet quote about writing, something along the lines of how good writing is like a fashionable appearance at a party– you arrive late and leave early. There’s a David Mamet quote about writing, something along the lines of how good writing is like a fashionable appearance at a party– you arrive late and leave early.

]]> By: Michael Gushue http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63262 Michael Gushue Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:43:02 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63262 Excellent question! And I suppose almost as many answers as there are responders. I'm impressed that Collin and Sandra know (pretty much) after the first draft if a poem is going to make it or not--a sign of their experience and professionalism, I think. My own practice varies considerably, with no consistent pattern. Also, I find that a poem can be complete, but just not that good. When successful, a poem is a recipe for cooking something that cannot be named. I'm interested in: what percentage of your poems do you give up on? "A poem is never finished, only abandoned." - Paul Valery Excellent question! And I suppose almost as many answers as there are responders. I’m impressed that Collin and Sandra know (pretty much) after the first draft if a poem is going to make it or not–a sign of their experience and professionalism, I think. My own practice varies considerably, with no consistent pattern. Also, I find that a poem can be complete, but just not that good. When successful, a poem is a recipe for cooking something that cannot be named.

I’m interested in: what percentage of your poems do you give up on?

“A poem is never finished, only abandoned.” – Paul Valery

]]> By: Karen Weyant http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63260 Karen Weyant Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:11:24 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63260 I'm not sure if I ever quit a poem -- I just put it away. It's not unusual for me to rescue a poem after months and see if I can make it work. On the other hand, this present way of writing does leave me with huge scrap piles of poems all over the place. I’m not sure if I ever quit a poem — I just put it away. It’s not unusual for me to rescue a poem after months and see if I can make it work. On the other hand, this present way of writing does leave me with huge scrap piles of poems all over the place.

]]> By: Valerie Loveland http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63259 Valerie Loveland Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:55:14 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63259 I stop working on a poem when it seems like my revisions keep making it worse. I stop working on a poem when it seems like my revisions keep making it worse.

]]> By: Brian Adkins http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63258 Brian Adkins Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:50:44 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63258 This also begs another important question. How many times has my sushi been rolled by a white guy? Not sure how to get a poem out of that but I'll give it a try ... for a while. This also begs another important question. How many times has my sushi been rolled by a white guy? Not sure how to get a poem out of that but I’ll give it a try … for a while.

]]> By: Sandra Beasley http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63257 Sandra Beasley Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:06:19 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63257 I don't usually shill products, but there is a book out by Seth Godin called "The Dip" (based on his blog) that is all about when to quit and when to stick it through. I think he does a pretty good job helping the reader identify a dip versus a rut versus a quest, and so on. As someone who is continually overcommitted, sometimes to projects that don't really nourish me, I found it useful. If I don't love a poem by the first revision, it's probably never going to take root in a MS. Probably part of the reason I dislike prompts: I'm not patient enough to evolve them through enough variations so as to erase the traces/framework of the prompt, so the poems never feel like "mine." I love, love, love the idea of quitting as a way to "make room for something new." I need to remember that. I don’t usually shill products, but there is a book out by Seth Godin called “The Dip” (based on his blog) that is all about when to quit and when to stick it through. I think he does a pretty good job helping the reader identify a dip versus a rut versus a quest, and so on. As someone who is continually overcommitted, sometimes to projects that don’t really nourish me, I found it useful.

If I don’t love a poem by the first revision, it’s probably never going to take root in a MS. Probably part of the reason I dislike prompts: I’m not patient enough to evolve them through enough variations so as to erase the traces/framework of the prompt, so the poems never feel like “mine.”

I love, love, love the idea of quitting as a way to “make room for something new.” I need to remember that.

]]> By: Allen Taylor http://www.32poems.com/blog/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/comment-page-1#comment-63256 Allen Taylor Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:44:01 +0000 http://blog.32poems.com/811/when-to-quit-a-poem/#comment-63256 I've always thought that a poem was done when I couldn't take anything else out of it and improve it. I’ve always thought that a poem was done when I couldn’t take anything else out of it and improve it.

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