“I guess I have been holding back some of my resentment. I’m in a nice normal poetry group on the outside and they love to laugh at my funny lines. This isn’t a therapy group–far from it. It’s a nice civilized friendly group, and I sure can’t let the cat (me) out of the bag there.” The above was posted on June 25, 2017 under Could I Re-Write My Childhood?
The above is kinda setting the stage for the following dialogue. Because P1 and P2 is boring, I’m calling the participants Me and You. but don’t take it personally. Remember, “You” equals P2.
Me: I’m puzzled and frustrated by poetry sharing in my blog family.
You: You only post on your own blog and d’verse.
Me: Yeah, and I’m puzzled by that. I didn’t understand, and I recall giving advice on grieving, not realizing it was probably just a poem, not reality.
You: You were just a newbie, you didn’t know any better.
Me: I don’t have that excuse any more. I think it’s wonderful how most people praise each other’s efforts/poetry on d’verse.
You: Me too!
Me: But I have two general questions. Sometimes we respond to content (“I’ve had that experience too, in Florida…); sometimes we respond to the poetry form and metaphors; and sometimes we respond to the emotions which we resonate to. I guess the foregoing is not a question, just an insecurity about which is preferred.
You: So you do want to do the right, preferred thing?
Me: Well…yeah…I guess.
You: Okay, what is your next question or insecurity?
Me: Is the purpose of d’verse to make readers happy? I’m not saying it right–moved, enlightened, thankful, appreciative of life?
You: Sounds like a worthy purpose to me. I don’t like whining posts.
Me: Me neither, but when I attempt to write poetry I’m starting to feel a “should,” like I should write for its impact on readers, like I should brighten their day instead of “let the cat out of the bag,” that I’m feeling hurt, pain, jealous, vengeful, despair, unloved, rejected, cynical, bruised, hopeless, etc. (Not that I feel like that often, mind you).
You: d’verse isn’t a place for therapy, you know. There’s a survivor’s blog somewhere out there for survivors,
Me: But not a poetry blog for survivors. I guess I’m unclear about the difference between whiners and grieving and non-believers and reality.
You: If you’re not feeling love and thankfulness and joy, you don’t have to write a poem, you know.
Me: I’m already feeling misunderstood. I think I’ve been guilty of “arguing back” with some poets myself, instead of just accepting their words. And I do remember that the best gift you can give is to hear and accept. I remember Carl Rogers now and how precious it is to just be really heard.
You: You do realize that now you’ve made anyone who comments on your work self-conscious?
Me: Oh, I’m sorry!
You: I should think so!
LESSON FOR TODAY: People are just people and really accepting them means just letting them do their thing and follow their creative impulses. So there’s no other message from this navel-gazing post.
It’s been a year; it’s been a lifetime!
NANMYKEL.COM 