on Writing Forward:
I started writing poetry just after hitting my teens and quickly fell in love with the artistry, wordplay, and rhythmic challenge of crafting poems.
A few years later, it occurred to me that I should be reading poetry, so I looked at a few books of poetry but found nothing that spoke to me. For years afterward, I continued to write poetry but did not read the works of established poets. Fortunately, I eventually went to college, where I was forced to read poetry and finally found works and poets that resonated with me.
It’s not unusual to encounter young poets who don’t read poetry. Some say they don’t want their work to be influenced by other poets, but many have faced the same difficulty I did: they haven’t been able to find poetry that they like.
Interesting timing for your post.. actually came looking for poetry to read due to a sudden craving lol. Wasn’t in the mood to write .. but read.
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Glad you found it helpful, Kimberly 🤗
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That is so true! I absolutely get it! I don’t read poetry books, but I keep reading poems on blogs and Pinterest, so I guess it counts. Anyway I’m glad I found my type of poems to read and write! Btw checkout my blog, I write poems too!
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Now following you Tia Jai 😃
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It’s actually Tia Jain…but thanks anyways!
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😱 I didn’t notice I’d missed the ‘n’ – sorry for that 😱
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It’s okay ☺️
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Hmmm… your post made me think. And remember. So much of the poetry I enjoy today is stuff I would not have liked or truly understood earlier.
Life experiences, and reading about the poets, brought it home. But what turned me off for decades was that many poems seemed to be trying too hard to impress – sometimes with obscurity, or simply an overuse of metaphor.
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Same with me, Cynthia, I can’t abide overblown and flowery prose – give me good old fashioned rustic simplicity every time 🤗
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It’s the same way I found poetry that resonated with me. 🌹
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