Comments on: poll dance: do we tell the truth about our own talents?

By: carolee

carolee — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:39:36 +0000

thanks, jo!

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:15:14 +0000

Wow, what an interesting piece and poll (I was hovering over the link on my site to yesterday’s poem and saw it, missed it first time round so never voted). I’m not sure how I’d have voted, but all the answers here gave me lots of food for thought. Well done Carolee, ….Deb.

By: carolee

carolee — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:02:34 +0000

thanks for the summary, deb! that’s a great idea to do before posting the new one. and good for you for claiming your answer (and your talent).

By: ...deb

...deb — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:24:42 +0000

Wow, this has been a great conversation. So many thoughtful and articulate responses.

Before I switch the poll to a new one, here are the final counts on the most-answered question we’ve even posted:

Check the belief that dominates your view of yourself as a poet (only one):
I write poetry, no matter how I feel about my talent or work ethic. (57%, 51 Votes)
I am not talented at all. (I don’t know why I do this poetry-thing anyway.) (10%, 9 Votes)
I have more talent than average and I work very hard. (10%, 9 Votes)
I don’t have any more talent than anyone else, but I work extremely hard. (8%, 7 Votes)
I am a natural and it all comes easy. (8%, 7 Votes)
I have an exceptional gift, and I work hard. (7%, 6 Votes)
Total Voters: 89

As for me? I went back and forth for a week on how to answer. Truly. And because I put the poll up I didn’t want to be the first one out of the gate. I simply could not be that public (even though no one but possibly Carolee would have guessed it was “my” answer). I ended up saying I have more talent than average – but, boy howdy, was I uncomfortable with that little nebulous word “more”…it reeked of smugness and self-satisfaction (see how I am?) and I have always been average – and work hard, too. That part is clearly true. Rarely does a poem come flowing off my pen or on the keyboard that I like just as it is…so rare I can probably count that experience on one hand.

The thing I take away from this exercise in self-awareness is that my view of myself changes weekly, daily and maybe even hourly. So when I am in the dumps about how bad I write, or how non-productive I have been I can more readily tell myself this too shall pass…and just keep writing. No matter how I feel that day.

Nice poll and dance, Carolee!

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:24:34 +0000

Great conversation going on here. I forget what I chose for the poll. I remember thinking about a few selections. I can say that right now I work hard because I’ve learned how hard it is to write a poem that goes beyond the mere descriptive, to enter the world of honesty, truth, epiphanies, experiment, and discovery.

I’m also studying other genres– essays and stories, and it is all hard. It’s not hard to put words on the page, it’s hard to find the words that make people say “Jesus,” as Dorianne Laux said in Dana’s interview. That’s what I want. I want to write so that people turn off the TV, put their forks down, and say “damn, that is so true.”

Since that hasn’t happened yet, I keep writing. But then again, mostly I write because it’s a lot of fun. I enjoy it, and I’d keep writing, even if the Pope told me my writing sucks. I’d be happy he read my stuff! Even bad publicity is good publicity, right? I ramble.

By: carolee

carolee — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:44:04 +0000

very true! there’s a reason i’m NOT so many things in this world. no interest. no aptitude. no natural ability. we forget that so many people feel that way about writing. they don’t think they can. they just don’t do it because they have no interest. etc. maybe just in admitting that we’re writers and giving it a try from time to time hints at some sort of natural inclination. or a natural affinity at the least.

By: Singing, practice and expectations « Words that sing

Singing, practice and expectations « Words that sing — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:47:38 +0000

[...] recently commented on a poll over at readwritepoem, comparing the pleasure and naturalness of my experience of singing and of writing poetry: The [...]

By: Katherine

Katherine — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:27:05 +0000

I think that I have an above-average talent, and I work my arse off. I would have liked to say that I’d still write poetry no matter what my talent, but … I wouldn’t. If I had a gift for playing the piano, like my father, I’d be doing that. And if I had a gift for higher mathematics, like my sister, I’d be whipping through her multi-variable calculus homework the same way she does (I know, what a freak). But I suck at math and piano. I balance my checkbook and hammer out the chords to random folk songs when I’m feeling so inclined, but I spend my effort on writing poetry.

Because I AM somewhat above average, darnit. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

By: jan

jan — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:24:07 +0000

thanks for that, carolee. you are right, i am too hard on myself! (in many ways, we are all like that, i think!). i was re-thinking what i wrote after i submitted it. i’m at a point where i’m just starting to write poetry again, after years of ‘not writing’. so i’m kind of just getting my feet wet. i am finding that i’m having fun participating in the various sites that give prompts. i don’t have to worry about winning a prize or being great or anything…and i like that. it allows me to get experience and have fun, and meet others who like to do the same thing. i agree, it’s better to write than NOT write…for who knows what gem might show up in the writing process when you least expect it?!

By: Carolee

Carolee — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:57 +0000

thanks to everyone who’s chatting about the poll. it’s great that the site can be interactive in this way: “true” blog/”true” community/”real” conversation. love it!

jan–it sounds like you’re super hard on yourself. (i am also.) i get good advice from people like, “be kind to yourself.” “other people will beat you up so don’t help them.” that kind of thing. it’s all true.

what’s also true is that if you can get a poem to express you, it’s not “lousy.” it may not be the key to your nomination for poet laureate but being poet laureate takes up too much time anyway. simic let the “job” go recently b/c he wasn’t finding enough time to write.

AND (last thing), don’t spend more time thinking about writing than actually writing. i did that for years. i felt like a poet and knew i could write poetry but i had “nothing” to say so. it can be a little bit like an identity crisis. so stop thinking about it and write! b/c you are so right — it’s a poem as soon as the words come out.

By: jan

jan — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:46:03 +0000

your post was really thought-provoking, and makes us look a little more deeply into the reasons that we chose a particular response in the poll. i answered: i have to work really hard, even though I think I have more talent than ‘average’. Mainly, I don’t feel that I am ‘above’ anyone, but I’ve been told I have a talent with words and on some deep level, i must believe that i do (even though I don’t ‘feel’ that I do!!). As far as working hard or harder than others, whichever it is–I don’t feel ’special’, like, ‘I work harder than you…’ therefore…”I’m better than you’…NO, that’s not how I felt when I answered this way. It was: I HAVE to work really HARD (in my head, and in my feelings toward writing) when I write a really GOOD, decent poem. I am almost ‘afraid’ to write any poetry at all because I’m afraid it will be lousy. So, I basically just think a lot about writing poetry…Often I’ll write a poem with the belief that it’s lousy…unless, I have worked hard and spent a lot of energy (often ‘emotional’ energy), then I might think I’ve accomplished something. Usually, I feel quite inadequate, however. That said, much of my poetry isn’t censored and I just call it a ‘poem’ as soon as the words come out. But in my mind, it’s not a ‘great’ poem. I don’t think I’ve EVER written a ‘great’ poem.

By: Carolee

Carolee — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:41:59 +0000

hi, OMB! we’ve been doing the “poll dance” for a while, but we took a break in april to focus on napowrimo (and i took a bit of a leave to help with some family stuff). this is our first one back, and it sounds like you recently found us. welcome!

i feel the same as you about blogging: it makes me want to write more.

congratulations on writing no matter if you feel like it or not. “they” (whoever that is) say it’s the best way to progress. whether they’re right or not, it does show a commitment to the writing. and that’s awesome!

By: One More Believer

One More Believer — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:05:30 +0000

what a great idea.. didn’t realize the polls had addtl followup.. or did i … no matter, responding to this one… part of the “no matter what” how else could i possibly write… that appeared closest to what i felt.. it’s like being on a boat in the ocean comes the closest to describing what writing means to me… image the perfect day sailing along at an easy pace… other days no wind sorta sitting and then thrz the stormy days rocking just holding on… having found the writing blog world in the last six months i’m in seventh heaven just being able to write and read others as well… in the sense of taking writing seriously enough to make a commitment and effort to continuously write… there’s a lot to learn and read and write about… thanks so much for the april 30 days it was a wonderful challenge…

By: Carolee

Carolee — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:30:40 +0000

noah — working “hard enough” is an elusive thing, too. the definition is different for everyone. i think if you’re spending your spare time at the writing “desk” then you’re doing fabulous. especially since you seem to know exactly why you’re writing. sounds to me like you’ve decided what you want to do and you’re doing it!

By: Carolee

Carolee — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:28:38 +0000

catherine — we did overlook a response for poets who are not writing at the moment. the choice you give is an excellent one and true for many of us off and on.

By: Noah

Noah — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:54:50 +0000

I do honestly think my work is horrible, but I don’t really care what others think of it. I suppose I don’t work hard enough, but I use all of my spare time for writing. (Which isn’t much! I work 30 hours a week and go to school 30 hours a week.)

I don’t want to be published, though, so I don’t really care how good my work is.

I just hope the one person i write for realizes how much I care.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:54:16 +0000

I didn’t answer the poll because none of the answers rang true to me – though the last probably came nearest. But right now, I’m not writing much at all. I think I have an average amount of talent, (above average in the population as a whole, if you include all those who never even try to write poetry), but so many of your answers included working exceptionally hard, and I’m just not doing that at the moment.

I wanted a choice that said “I have an average to above average amount of talent, and I would make more of it if I worked harder”

By: Carolee

Carolee — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:38:40 +0000

jimmmaaa — that makes a lot of sense. that in certain waves, we just write no matter what. the same could also probably be said about the “natural” answer. that in some phases of our writing lives, some things do come naturally.

your comments about writing being a spiritual experience may make an interesting future poll …

and that is a really great quote. wow! thank you for sharing it.

By: jimmmaaa

jimmmaaa — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:30:36 +0000

I chose the last answer, “I write poetry no matter how I feel about my talent or work ethic” but I will qualify my answer. I write in waves. I either writing or I’m not….I will go a 1, 2 or 3 years without writing more than a couple poems in that particular year. Later I will write in torrents for a period of a couple years. During this time I write when it comes to me. I don’t get writers block during these times, I just usually sit down and write. When I’m not writing, I’m not thinking about writing, I’m doing other things, sort of like writing goes into hibernation. I don’t usually revise either. I want to go back and revise. Maybe if I could set up a schedule, it would help me.

I think the times when I am not writing, it is a spiritual thing, same when I am writing. When I am in tune spiritually, I write more; when I’m not, I write less….that’s my observation anyway. (I’m sure it is completely objective )

To assess ones skills is a hard thing to do. I know I am a writer, but whether I ever publish is another story altogether. Here is one of my favorite quotes on writing: “I am a writer if I never write another line; I am alive if I never step out of this room again….the problem is not to expand a feeling, but to condense a feeling–all thought, tangled and tumbled in the empty crowded head of a writer–to one clear thought, one clear form, and still preserve the enormity, the hugeness, the unbearable all-at-onceness of being alive and knowing it, too.” ~Tess Slesinger, A Life in the Day of a Writer

Good Poll.

By: carolee

carolee — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:21:19 +0000

chicklegirl — i’m glad you picked “no matter what” in the context of submissions (acceptance/rejection). that’s definitely an important time to be in the “i write no matter what” place. maybe we should have a dial on our brains/hearts that we could switch to the various poll responses that are appropriate/healthiest in a bunch of different scenarios.