I Like Poetry

I write freestyle poems.
Lately, I've been looking into poetry and trying to abide by rules....takes my mood away.
The main reason I started writing poetry was to break free and express myself freely. But...all these intricate rules are killing the point. A day that could have gone productive really just went to waste trying to be someone I'm not.

If someone wants to disagree, I'd love to hear. Might make me more hopeful. I do admit I'm not a very bright person and it took me a year to improve just a tad. So to start following rules is totally another level of skill. But I also am of opinion that different poets are made for different styles, that are their strengths.
But then again, being unable to move a step forward is a weakness.

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firefall · 61-69, M

I find writing sonnets or other structured poetry an interesting intellectual challenge, but very hard to retain the underlying emotional thrust that made me want to write something down: almost impossible, really. So I usually stick to freeform, too, unless I've got a few hours to kill and don't mind spending it on shaping and structuring.

I think it's largely a matter of longstanding mental habit, though: one of my friends from high school could do this effortlessly, in a variety of forms, because she'd worked (hard) on it since she was about 10. It made for some weird side effects, though, like talking in iambic pentameter without intending it.

SW-User

@firefall: wow. I'm impressed. I'm thinking today of starting to practise with my little sister. She's also growing a thing for writing.

Do you have a blog though?

I'm actually thinking of trying sestina style poems.

Have you studied poetry as a subject?

firefall · 61-69, M

@SomeoneBetterthanBefore: No, I've never studied it as a subject. I think it's rather like oral traditions, a thing that used to be a common habit but has fallen largely by the wayside.

And yes, I've got several blogs - one with my recentish scribblings is:

http://kiwibitz.blogspot.com/

SW-User

I'd love to read it! Thanks for the link. Some inspiration is always good!

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