by Carolee Sherwood

Of course poem size matters. It’s not everything, but it matters. And its function — focus, people, we’re talking poetry here — makes excellent fodder for a discussion about the writing process.

A recent Read Write Poll revealed that most of us have written poems of two or more pages, including several who have written poems of chapbook, book or epic length. Personally, I have never written a poem that exceeds two pages, although recently I did start a poem that will have multiple sections, likely surpassing the two-page barrier.

As a poet, I tend to fall on the side of short and sweet. As a reader, I enjoy concise language, and I like to be lead with great efficiency both into and out of a poem. In both instances, however, I am unclear if it’s a true literary preference, or if I force my poetry likes and dislikes to conform to my life. Do I have a true appreciation for brevity or is it just convenience? Do I lack the attention span as a writer and a reader to invest in longer pieces?

Certainly, I stand in awe at so many of the epics — written in section after section, act after act — and I am better for having read them. I am also grateful for bite-sized poems I can consume greedily, one after another. As a reader, what do you prefer? What do you read most often?

When I write poetry, I stop when I feel the poem has reached its natural ending. Typically when I revise, I am looking at opportunities to tighten language and remove unnecessary words. I rarely move in the opposite direction, toward exploring a concept with new scenes or adding another stanza. As a writer, how do you know when to stop? If you write longer pieces, how do you keep up your stamina and how do you maintain the momentum of the subject?

Here’s how the poll dance works: We post a poll and let it ride for a week and a half or so, and then I’ll talk a little bit about the topic and the results. The poll will stand for a few days after that to allow additional participation. The rotation gives each poll two weeks — or so — in the white-hot spotlight.