Culture Vultures and Sour Grapes

By luigi_pagano

Mon, 11 Dec 2017
  • 2178 reads
10 comments
 
A number of poets
write purely for fun.
With tongue-in-cheek
pen a humorous pun
or they play with fire
whenever attempting
to compose a satire.
They  are not serious
- that much is clear -
they follow the likes
of Carroll and Lear.
But there are others
who, being ambitious,
believe that the Muse
will only be auspicious
to those who work hard
at trying to become
the next great Bard.
They spout quite a lot
and say they are proud
to offer their wisdom
to a cultured crowd.
They see the distinction
between show and tell
but they are too blind
to see they can’t spell.
They ignore criticism
by anyone who japes:
if their work is slated
it‘s due to sour grapes.
 
© Luigi Pagano 2017
Certificate U
Poem
Are you being versed?
Opinion

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I'm trying to work out how much you're 'tongue-in-cheek' there, Luigi!

Light easily-understood verse generally conceals much thought and hard work and editing. This is often not realised, and verse that seems 'deep' and unclear can be thought much cleverer. Maybe the sounds of the words are pleasing even if the 'message' isn't so easily understood. One can feel a fool admitting one doesn't follow the meaning! Rhiannnon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi Rhiannon. I totally agree with the point you make that a light verse can convey a serious message, perhaps even better than a clever but abstruse poem. My comment was intended to draw a distinction between people who write simply for fun, as a hobby, with no expectation of literary glory and those writers who take themselves too seriously. The latter group being scornful of the former’s contribution yet unable to see their own weakness and dismissive of criticism of their own work.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

yes, agree, though I think I was actually not so much thinking of the serious message often in light work (though that is certainly true), but that the work in producing something structured to be easily readable and understood is often not realised and appreciated. Those with a particularly serious message that they feel very important and of great significance to the world for them to say, sometimes don't appreciate the need to work on its clarity to others. (?) Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Quite so, Rhiannon.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I think anyone who can write with metre and rhyme and still say what they mean to say is very clever. I can't :0)

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

We all have our own individual style and, regardless of what format is used, the importance lies in putting a viewpoint across. Even though you claim not being able to write in rhyme you have been successful at expressing yourself by way of metaphors, imagery and alliterations.and that is quite an achievement. I haven't got a personal preference but am inclined to write in rhyme more often than not.

Thanks for your kind comment, Luigi x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou for that. I think it's a lesser form of expression. I am interested in how you do it? Do you have to steer the poem past the rhymes as if they were obstacles at the end of every line? Does your poem go places dictated by the rhymes you find?

ps this is the third time have posted this essage as Tina keeps deleting it because she wants more of the cat treats I stupidly got her for Christmas

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I am afraid that if your pet has got used to treats, she'll always claim that she gets no satisfaction. wink

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I think free verse is sort of like unskilled labour. I have been on ABC for a long time under various user names and there seem to be lots more strong rhyme and metre. Do you have any tips, as someone who can write this way with such ease?

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

There are excellent pieces both in free verse and rhymed poetry, as proved by great poets such as T.S.Eliot, W.H. Auden, John Betjeman etc. but nowadays rhymed verses seem to be considered old fashioned.
I haven't really got a magic formula regarding the style that I favour; I write by instinct, usually sparked off by an idea or something I've read and somehow the lines I jot tend to lean towards rhyming.
This, though, can be a double-edged sword insofar as the final product might read like a doggerel.
My advice would be, don't follow the trend. Just write in the style you feel comfortable with.

Best, Luigi x