Ozgarth

by Illuminara

Posted to Utterances on 2003-03-11 11:37:00

Parent message is 401445
much, much appreciated…very good points. And you are absolutely right about learning from the composers/musicians themselves more directly. Another difference, however, (one that I’ve been thinking much on lately) is the difference between art in music and art in poetry. Music, not restricted to its characters on paper, is a living artform…it is never played the same way twice, it has its own unique personality through the hands of the one who serves as medium to it. In ways, it is universal. Poetry, however, I feel is different. Poetry relies on the characters of the learned language for communication, it relies on understanding and translating the symbols. One must read and understand a poem. For music, one must only listen.

Yes, read the great poets, see what works. But also, what of the novel. I think that too much imitiation, as one person suggested, can lead you to be blind to your own unique voice. And this is what I’m seeking. My voice, I am finding, does not follow those whom I admire, but it is mine. I want to learn without seeking to only emulate those I admire. To grow in one’s own voice…that is what I seek more so than popular acceptance of what’s been considered exemplary of fine poetry.