Blogging Around

This was my response to Marika's post about the process of writing her poem:

Marika-

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on your poem, especially because I've read your poem and know what it's about. I can definitely relate to your confusion about the "widowed images" part. I spent hours trying to come up with a widowed image of my own! I think sometimes with poetry you just have to wait for an idea to come to you. I disagree with how you described your poem though. I think it's a lot deeper than you think it is!

-Kate

I also read Margot's post about her poem, and I found it really interesting to compare different people's strategies to revising their poems.

Margot-

Infinity and vastness scare me too! I'd be interested in reading your poem, or at least hearing your thoughts on the subject, because I think it's a fascinating topic. You seem to have a great idea for your poem from a "form is content" perspective. I really liked reading your post because I've had a lot of similar feelings about the revision process. I think sometimes it's difficult to part with pieces of your writing that you've grown attached to. While I was writing my second and third drafts, I often had to remind myself that the changes were just for Mr. Allen, and I could keep a copy of my poem just the way I wanted it. However, now I like the "Mr. Allen" version of my poem better than the original! That may not be true for you, but I think sometimes the initial response to criticism is feeling defensive, but once those feelings have calmed, you might realize that the changes really were for the better.

-Kate