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February 23, 2007
Can I do that?
Jerz, ''Poetry is for the Ear'' -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)
"...that's not all that Frost is doing with that line. Say it out loud, and pay attention to how the predominant "e", "i" sounds feel -- they tighten up your mouth, creating a bit of tension in your face."
Here's the thing, I DO kind of get what you're trying to say here Dr. Jerz, however, I would have NEVER, ever picked that up on my own. Should I have picked up on that by myself? I just think it's amazing that poets can do these things with words. I just don't think that I'd ever be able to do these things. I really don't even know where to begin. It's quite an overwhelming process.
Posted by CheraPupi at February 23, 2007 10:48 PM
Comments
While I don't expect everyone to turn into expert poets, Chera, I do hope that when you look at poetry from now on, the sound of the words themselves is one of the many ways that you will consider *how* the poem means *what* you think it means.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.setonhill.edu/CheraPupi/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 24, 2007 11:35 AM
I know what you mean. I've aired my frustrations about this same thing in my blog as well. I'm sure this isn't something that you can just magically do overnight, though. I'm sure it takes years of experience to learn how to write good poetry, because it takes a lot of skill to have such a command of language that you can master both the meaning and sounds of words. It's like learning how to tap dance. Savion Glover at one point was just about as slow as I am, but he practiced really hard for years and years and now he's a tapping fiend!
Posted by: Matt Henderson at February 24, 2007 10:47 AM