No Time for Brevity
"One of the old French philosophers and wits, Blaise Pascal, apologized for writing a long letter, saying, 'I had not time to write a short one.'"
How to Read Literature Like a Professor--Thomas C. Foster (p. 27)
He could not have said it better (at least in my opinion). Isn't it true that the simplest phase can often be the one holding the most meaning? And think of how troublesome it can be to edit down a rough draft. Foster uses his reference to Pascal's statement to remind people not to underestime the content of something because of its brevity. I think poetry--although I love a good poem--can be the most evading material to read.
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Marie vanMaanen on No Time for Brevity: I did not think much of Foster
Nathan Hart on No Time for Brevity: I couldnt agree with you more.
Nathan Hart on No Time for Brevity: I couldnt agree with you more.
I couldnt agree with you more. Many times(to me) the more simple something is the more thought provoking it can be. After the quote that you are blogging about, the author quotes this, "Sonnets are like that, short poems that take far more time, because everything has to be perfect, than long lines." This ties in with what you said about poetry being evading. Sonnets are so structured, layed out, and rhythmic. It can be scary to look at.
People are often intimidated of poetry because as students we are taught to look at poetry a certain way. When i was in high school, I was taught to look into the words and meanings of the words. Even in this class, we were asked to interpret Frost poems. I believe that we often look into poetry too much and thats one of the reason people tend not to enjoy poetry. Read the words, enjoy the words, and appreciate it for what it is.
I did not think much of Foster's reference when I first read it, but I agree with you and think you make a very good point. It can be so hard to find just the right words to say to someone so instead you end up with a much longer discourse than you ever anticipated. But, if you find those few perfect words, they can have a greater impact on someone than a page full of words.