What draws you to a poem.

[Poppy]

What draws you to read a poem.

Is it the writer
The title
Subject
Other.

I am always intrigued as to what draws us in, to read a poem, either on here, other boards, books wherever..

For me I think the title, followed by the subject then the writer.
I also have certain words I just fall in love with, so if they pop up I will take a peep and investigate further.

Poppy ~xx~

[I3R0K3N7FEET]

I think its natural for people to 'like' certain words. As people mature they tend to find clarity in definition, resulting in weight and power when using these words associated with epiphany and experience.

Some may be drawn to ryhthm and ryhme or to structure or associate with the subject or simply enjoy reading deeper into a suggested meaning.

For me I look for inspiration, often in the wrong places.

[BenJohnson]

Talking about poems on the forum I often have a limited time to read and if possible comment so for me I'll look at the list of new poems. Titles will be the first thing to grab me, if they are unusual in some fashion I will be sure to visit. A good example is Sward swallowing (http://www.thepoetryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27648&highlight=sward) sward is a very unusual word, at first it looked like it could be a typo or else it was a play on words I had to pop along to see which. The Leylandii Ghost Bride (http://www.thepoetryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27619) was another example how could I resist such an intriquing combination of words.

Next will be user names, if I see a name that is always good to read I will visit, equally if I see a name I haven't seen before I will pop in to have a look.

Outside the forum my readin is much more haphazard, either I am reading a n anthology which I approach on a open to a random page and read approach or I am reading a single poet in which case I will start at the beginning and work through.

[Maggie]

Subject matter is a main draw on forums for me. Authors tend to be the main draw for reading published works. I have a random poem app on this computer, so if a new author comes up, and I like them, I will go looking for other works by them as well.

[BenJohnson]

I have a random poem app on this computer, so if a new author comes up, and I like them, I will go looking for other works by them as well.

Sounds good where did you get it?

[Maggie]

Sounds good where did you get it?

http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/345

Enjoy :)

[Baywriter]

Initially the title, but mainly poetic voice and style, so I suppose it must be the author. On forums I generally read everything, and I'll comment on anything, but I think I'm just picky about what I actually enjoy. I didn't start reading published poetry (minus a few that I had to read for school) until last year so I know I have A LOT to look at in that department. I've found a few poets that I love, and all of them are contemporary, and all of them have a distinctive style. I appreciate and admire the classics, but I'm not drawn to them.

[Ron63]

Being an artist, the first thing I look for is a poem's visual form. An interesting shape to a peom will always attract my eye and if the content is as good as its shape, then it's tops for me. I'm not keen on regimented forms where poems have an equal number of lines per stanza that comes out block after block. If the visual form doesn't excite me, then it's unlikely I will make an effort to read past the second or third stanza, unless of course the words and imagery are exceptional. I find free verse exciting, with its unrestricted line length, metre and varied stanza lengths. Again, if the imagery is good, then like shaped poetry (or concrete Poetry) it's tops.

Adding to that I also enjoy short poems, anything from a one liner to about 8 lines or so that has a complete message or idea. The shortest poem I've written is a two liner about Christmas.

[Poppy]

http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/345

Enjoy :)

Thanks for that Maggie, was going to ask the same question.

Poppy ~xx~

[Maggie]

Yeah... Ya'll will like it. There is no rhyme or reason to what they send. It is totally random.

I enjoy it a lot :)

[Poppy]

Yeah... Ya'll will like it. There is no rhyme or reason to what they send. It is totally random.

I enjoy it a lot :)

Just signed up.

Poppy ~xx~

[Altocumulus]

I saw this question yesterday, and wondered how to respond.

An honest off the cuff answer is, I don't know what attracts me to a poem. I do have favourite poets on this site, and rarely read poetry elsewhere, there's enough here to keep me busy. I tend to grasshopper in and out, attracted to many things - but there needs to be something in the first few lines that grabs my attention. If that attentions continues to warm through the poem or verse, I'll continue; if it gets hotter - better still. It doesn't have to follow strict meter, rhyme or rhythm; but the word order and use of words needs to 'ring' within me - once a cadence, of sorts starts, even a small jar won't worry as long as the flow continues, but if I keep tripping then I can lose attention quickly and the moment passes.
I'll also look and read comments, especially from those works I admire (you know who you are), for other insights into the read.

But Overall - It has to 'speak' to me.....(LOL - even if I don't understand it !)

Does this make sense ? Who knows ..... It's a Friday - that'll figure somewhere in my subconscious, too .....

[Maggie]

once a cadence, of sorts starts, even a small jar won't worry as long as the flow continues,


Yes... I am the same way Alto. I have been reading far too long not to know when I am looking at a piece of coal about to turn into a diamond. I am like a weird little cheerleader rooting for the home team.

" Do it Do it, one step farther. Dare to fail with abandon. You might not. You'd be amazed at what you find on the other side. "

Sometimes I see them take that chance, and sometimes not.

But I am always hoping they do :)

[Altocumulus]

Must be a bit like a horse galloping ....

[Poppy]

I saw this question yesterday, and wondered how to respond.

An honest off the cuff answer is, I don't know what attracts me to a poem. I do have favourite poets on this site, and rarely read poetry elsewhere, there's enough here to keep me busy. I tend to grasshopper in and out, attracted to many things - but there needs to be something in the first few lines that grabs my attention. If that attentions continues to warm through the poem or verse, I'll continue; if it gets hotter - better still. It doesn't have to follow strict meter, rhyme or rhythm; but the word order and use of words needs to 'ring' within me - once a cadence, of sorts starts, even a small jar won't worry as long as the flow continues, but if I keep tripping then I can lose attention quickly and the moment passes.
I'll also look and read comments, especially from those works I admire (you know who you are), for other insights into the read.

But Overall - It has to 'speak' to me.....(LOL - even if I don't understand it !)

Does this make sense ? Who knows ..... It's a Friday - that'll figure somewhere in my subconscious, too .....

I know it is a hard one to answer as we each have our own take on different works - which is good, it means there is room for plenty, no one size fits all.
I think there is often an element in poetry where some people think if the work they read does not fit into 'their' criteria of 'good' then it is bad.. which surely is not so - and perhaps signifies they are in fact a little blinkered.

We should try to widen our horizons, (which forums like this allow us all to do) give new works a chance, I have often read someone's work, either not understood it, or mark it as not my taste, only to go back - and completely change my view.

The replies are ALL interesting, and again highlight the differences between us all.

Poppy ~xx~

[Maggie]

I know it is a hard one to answer as we each have our own take on different works - which is good, it means there is room for plenty, no one size fits all.
I think there is often an element in poetry where some people think if the work they read does not fit into 'their' criteria of 'good' then it is bad.. which surely is not so - and perhaps signifies they are in fact a little blinkered.

We should try to widen our horizons, (which forums like this allow us all to do) give new works a chance, I have often read someone's work, either not understood it, or mark it as not my taste, only to go back - and completely change my view.

The replies are ALL interesting, and again highlight the differences between us all.

Poppy ~xx~


Nothing irritates me more than to chock a poem up to being bad because it is not as a whole perfect. That is nonsense. I am just as thrilled with a perfect sentence, or word as I am with the perfect poem. Those tiny diamonds shine through and are quite worthy of notice and praise. Now on the flip side, a perfect word, or sentence does not a perfect poem make.

But it is a damn fine place to start :)

[Baywriter]

Nothing irritates me more than to chock a poem up to being bad because it is not as a whole perfect. That is nonsense. I am just as thrilled with a perfect sentence, or word as I am with the perfect poem. Those tiny diamonds shine through and are quite worthy of notice and praise. Now on the flip side, a perfect word, or sentence does not a perfect poem make.

But it is a damn fine place to start :)

I wish there was a "like" button on this site. It'd be pressed right now.

[BenJohnson]

I wish there was a "like" button on this site. It'd be pressed right now.

There is the little pair of scales under on the left ander the avatar, or at least as close to a like button as we get.

I quite agree Maggie, I quite often read a the works of famous poets and think over all this or that could be better, but there will usually be something which is so stunningly phrased its detracts from any percieved flaws.