Comments on: read write prompt #4: change up your line length http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/ because poem is an action Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:52:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Read Write Poem http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-322 Read Write Poem Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:18:29 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-322 Comments for this post are now closed. Comments for this post are now closed.

]]> By: SweetTalkingGuy http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-313 SweetTalkingGuy Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:39:02 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-313 Very interesting! For me line length is all to do with the width of the paper I'm writing on. So, if I'm preparing something for performance and writing it on the back of a bus ticket on the way to the venue, it's not going to be very long. I used to do a lot of performance poetry and most of it never got as far as the writing stage. I would compose something in my head, perform it that night and throw it away. These days I write everything down then memorise it because I find it much too difficult to read from the page. How do you maintain eye contact with the audience if you're stuttering over a scrap of paper? Very interesting!
For me line length is all to do with the width of the paper I’m writing on.
So, if I’m preparing something for performance and writing it on the back of a bus ticket on the way to the venue, it’s not going to be very long.
I used to do a lot of performance poetry and most of it never got as far as the writing stage. I would compose something in my head, perform it that night and throw it away.
These days I write everything down then memorise it because I find it much too difficult to read from the page. How do you maintain eye contact with the audience if you’re stuttering over a scrap of paper?

]]> By: Roberta http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-298 Roberta Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:19:44 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-298 oops I don't think I was supposed to post yet...sorry-its due to my crazy work sched. oops I don’t think I was supposed to post yet…sorry-its due to my crazy work sched.

]]> By: Roberta http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-297 Roberta Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:10:19 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-297 <a href="http://birdswordpoetry.wordpress.com/2007/12/10/fruits/" rel="nofollow">This is a combo prompt-taking 3 and adding it to 4.</a> I am so used to writing short quick poems I miss the luxury of long sentences. It was nice to give it a try again. The one poetry class I took ages ago was all about getting rid of extra words-and I took that to mean cutting and slashing. This is a combo prompt-taking 3 and adding it to 4.

I am so used to writing short quick poems I miss the luxury of long sentences. It was nice to give it a try again. The one poetry class I took ages ago was all about getting rid of extra words-and I took that to mean cutting and slashing.

]]> By: Derek http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-296 Derek Sun, 09 Dec 2007 18:40:23 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-296 I'm with you, Susan *and anyone else can chime in on this* Illiteracy in writing is probably the biggest conundrum we have as poets. I will admit that i'm not big on reading the greats. I can't wrap my head around them, but I do try. I aslo listen to a lot of my contemporaries, which, according to an English professor I had, is far more important that knowing all the classics. That said, there is something of merit is knowing a reference or homage to another poet when one sees/hears it. I’m with you, Susan *and anyone else can chime in on this*

Illiteracy in writing is probably the biggest conundrum we have as poets. I will admit that i’m not big on reading the greats. I can’t wrap my head around them, but I do try. I aslo listen to a lot of my contemporaries, which, according to an English professor I had, is far more important that knowing all the classics. That said, there is something of merit is knowing a reference or homage to another poet when one sees/hears it.

]]> By: susan http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-294 susan Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:21:16 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-294 Hi Derek, I like Slam when it's clear the poet is literate. Call me a snob, but when a poet tells me he can't be bothered reading other poets, I can't the speaker seriously. I think if more aspiring stage poets read more and seriously worked on their writing, they would only enhance their stage performance. I've read at open mic several years ago, but I'm no slam poet. Still I admire those who do it well. As a matter of fact, Detroit Poetry Collective is gearing up for a major Slam competition. I sit on DPC's board because I couldn't tell the founder no. She's an incredibly talented young woman, a fellow Cave Canem alumni in fact. Anywhoo, let's talk more, and tell me where I can read your work. Hi Derek,

I like Slam when it’s clear the poet is literate. Call me a snob, but when a poet tells me he can’t be bothered reading other poets, I can’t the speaker seriously. I think if more aspiring stage poets read more and seriously worked on their writing, they would only enhance their stage performance.

I’ve read at open mic several years ago, but I’m no slam poet. Still I admire those who do it well. As a matter of fact, Detroit Poetry Collective is gearing up for a major Slam competition. I sit on DPC’s board because I couldn’t tell the founder no. She’s an incredibly talented young woman, a fellow Cave Canem alumni in fact. Anywhoo, let’s talk more, and tell me where I can read your work.

]]> By: Christine http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-293 Christine Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:54:30 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-293 Interesting conversation going on here. Tom, you bring up such an important aspect of poetry - how to convey meaning through sound or word images on a page. My verses are mostly short when I write in free verse. I usually isolate a word that seems particularly important in meaning, or if it sounds better by itself. I love changing things up, so this is great! Interesting conversation going on here. Tom, you bring up such an important aspect of poetry - how to convey meaning through sound or word images on a page. My verses are mostly short when I write in free verse. I usually isolate a word that seems particularly important in meaning, or if it sounds better by itself.

I love changing things up, so this is great!

]]> By: Linda Jacobs http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-291 Linda Jacobs Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:56:23 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-291 I've always been attracted to short lines; they just seem more accessible. It'll kill me to write across the whole line but I'll do it. This will be sort of like the American Sentences and I survived that! Again, thanks for this great site. Oh, and I'm glad it's not a blog site because blogs are blocked at my school. (Along with a million other sites, but, that's another story!) I’ve always been attracted to short lines; they just seem more accessible. It’ll kill me to write across the whole line but I’ll do it. This will be sort of like the American Sentences and I survived that!

Again, thanks for this great site. Oh, and I’m glad it’s not a blog site because blogs are blocked at my school. (Along with a million other sites, but, that’s another story!)

]]> By: Watermark http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-290 Watermark Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:22:01 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-290 <strong>What It Is - an exercise in long lines...</strong> I've combined two recent prompts into one long-lined poem. Prompt #3: Consider three pieces of your life . . . You could even go crazy and mix it all up, picking one piece from different “categories.” Write a single poem about all three. Try to wo... What It Is - an exercise in long lines…

I’ve combined two recent prompts into one long-lined poem. Prompt #3: Consider three pieces of your life . . . You could even go crazy and mix it all up, picking one piece from different “categories.” Write a single poem about all three. Try to wo…

]]> By: gautami http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-289 gautami Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:44:27 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/2007/12/05/read-write-prompt-4-change-up-your-line-length/#comment-289 I keep changing my line lengths depending on what I want to convey. I keep changing my line lengths depending on what I want to convey.

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