I must say, the ol' RCat hasn't recieved too many awards in his lifetime. I guess I haven't lived one of those lives that allow you to garner such trophies or accolades. I have thought about this fact before, but never found it to be too upseting, just a bit odd. Yet when I do get a pat on the head or ablue ribbon for my lapel, it is a delight and worthy of crowing about.
I discovered today that I had been presented with a wonderful award for using words; what could be better? My fellow poet and scribe, Shirley Allard, editor of WordCatylist.com, had included me as a recipient. I am grinning from ear to ear. The image of the grand trophy can be seen above. I just had to share it with my adoring fans (chuckle).
I have to say; thank you Shirley I am honored to be among such poetic company!
Shirley tells me that in accepting the award, the recipient is required to list three things that they believe make writing good and powerful before passing the award along to five other people. Over the years I have thought and read and talked about poetry. I have three axioms about poetry that work just as well for verse.
When I was 22, I took my first writing course. It turned out to be a very interesting poetry class, taught by a wonderful woman, at a small Junior College. I had been writing what I felt was poetry since age fifteen and I knew it was time to polish up my meager offerings. We studied many of the classic forms of poetry and it taught me a great deal; including the fact that what I was writing was not always poetry…imagine my surprise!
1. When poets first put word to paper it is more often than not an outpouring of personal emotion. Even though emotion is almost a prerequisite for poetry, if the writer becomes so immersed in their on emotive pathos or angst, they will lose the attention of the reader. Since poets strive to be read and are nurtured by the reader, it is imperative that the poet write as much of their inner directed emotion out of their work as quickly and quietly as possible; somewhat like an exorcism for poetic demons. These personal works, of course, can be saved in a file for future reference or reflection, but the thought of presenting them to an unsuspecting readership should be set aside. Instead, redirect emotion into a more universal language that lets your reader share in your experience rather than leaving them on the outside struggling to comprehend what feels like abstract emotional imagery. In other words, write from the heart, but in such a way that you let the reader become a part of what you have written.
2. Write about everything. Do not confine yourself to certain subjects when you write, let your mind draw on any and all situations. Sometimes riding in the car, walking down a street, getting on an elevator, waiting in an office, or any of a thousand other situations can trigger some very creative ideas. You may have to force yourself to do this the first few times and you may not think what you have written is of any merit, but keep it up. Repeat the process and discipline yourself to write about everything your senses can reach. It can reward you with some of the finest images you will ever apply to the page.
3. To be a poet is to be consumed. We all know that very few of our number are ever able to support themselves on strictly a poets wage. If you are going to remain consumed you have to keep that fire in your mind and in your gut burning (I don't mean migraines and heartburn either). In order to keep it alive and fresh you have to read about it, you have to breath it in, and most of all you have to write, write, write.
These ideas can make a world of difference in how you write your poetry and in how you view the art of writing. They have meant the world to me over the years I hope they can be of some worth to you as well. Then, if you find they work within your sphere of writing, maybe you will pass them on to the new poets you come across asking for insight and advice.
I now pass the torch to these five poetic gents:
1. Michael Dunn
2. Dan Kasten
3. Don Campbell
4. JD Clay
5. Terry Olynik
I hope you fellows enjoy the honor as much as I do. - RCat
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