In my mind, poetry is not meant to be a destructive force field nor a hazardous competition nor a playing field role reversal of right versus wrong.
I feel like some people in poetry land almost want to force other people in poetry land to pick a side and announce the side they picked and why.
I don't want to pick a side; I want to pick a poem.
I don't feel the need to unfriend someone, completely distance myself from them, and cut them down just because we're not on the exact same side - or semi-publicly slam somebody just because I disagree with parts of them - or lay out exactly how I feel about another person so that other people can narrow down which side I am or am not in support of.
If anyone wants to know how I feel about someone or something, then they can feel free to ask me one-on-one and I will probably openly respond - but I'm probably not going to get involved in some group attack that combines some legitimate points with a bunch of people making fun of a bunch of other people.
Sometimes it starts to feel like some sort of aggrandized agenda, but I'm not even sure where it's heading. To destroy people you disagree with? To destroy people you hate? To destroy people who hate you? To destroy people before they destroy you?
***
I feel like some people in poetry land almost want to force other people in poetry land to pick a side and announce the side they picked and why.
I don't want to pick a side; I want to pick a poem.
I don't feel the need to unfriend someone, completely distance myself from them, and cut them down just because we're not on the exact same side - or semi-publicly slam somebody just because I disagree with parts of them - or lay out exactly how I feel about another person so that other people can narrow down which side I am or am not in support of.
If anyone wants to know how I feel about someone or something, then they can feel free to ask me one-on-one and I will probably openly respond - but I'm probably not going to get involved in some group attack that combines some legitimate points with a bunch of people making fun of a bunch of other people.
Sometimes it starts to feel like some sort of aggrandized agenda, but I'm not even sure where it's heading. To destroy people you disagree with? To destroy people you hate? To destroy people who hate you? To destroy people before they destroy you?
***
I've had people try to control me before and I didn't like it at all. I will try my best to be myself AND listen to others. I will try my best to stay in control of myself without trying to control anyone else.
***
I try to expel my own negativity (and all kinds of other feelings too) via creating my own poetry and art. Not by attacking other poets and artists or anyone else.
***
I try to expel my own negativity (and all kinds of other feelings too) via creating my own poetry and art. Not by attacking other poets and artists or anyone else.
Here is a video of me reading some of my poetry this past May (part of the Take the Knight Off poetry reading in Canton, Ohio).
I just happened to encounter the video yesterday and thought I would share it today.
(from Juliet Cook - individual human being, poet, and Blood Pudding Press creature)
Posts
1 comment:
I'm not against the idea of calling out highly questionable behavior or actions, but sometimes I think semi-public/social media call-outs then head in the wrong direction(s), where bunches of people are calling out every small comment(er) that doesn't feel the way they feel or approach the matter their way or act/react their way, etc...
Post a Comment