Last year I remember seeing a poem in a newspaper article about young poets (like myself) failing to adopt what poetry stands for and how we are slowly destroying the art. I didn’t take note of the poet’s name, because I thought nothing of it at the time; only the message he was giving.
In context, all he was saying was that this (poetry) is something we’re not good at, since we are so fixated on things like fashion and social media e.t.c.
In essence, he wants us to adopt the style he deems appropriate or we don’t write poetry at all. The editor seemed very fascinated by all of it, saying that since the poet is highly renowned his opinion must hold some merit. Felt like a suck up session to me, I don’t know why I remembered the whole thing today but, I decided to respond to the poem regardless…
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Competing for a supposed throne
Through the art form
Has never really been
My kind of scene.
But suppose we WERE to compete
Your chance to belittle me,
Showing the divide between us
The perfect opportunity to show
How you’re up there
And I’m down here,
You’d love that wouldn’t you?
Well, spoiler alert
Because if we compete
What you see as an ordinary,
Lush and Green mind
Will expose your eyes
To ethereal designs,
Taking your mind through
The longest train of thought,
Leaving you out of breath as I
Write tartan track laps around you.
We would start at the same line
And I would be back
Before you decide to begin;
Don’t make me commit a crime
By leaving your mind with a chalk outline
Analogy for the brain dead state
I’ll leave you with
After reality sets in.
Tempting as that would be
I realize that it takes a great person
To discover the power hidden within,
But it takes a rare
And special kind of person
To respect everyone regardless
Of that discovery.
– Original-Dante ©2016
Photograph by: Aquilapse
There is no right or wrong way to write matters of the heart, the old man should escape from his cocoon.
O.D. 
Change is never easy. Sounds like the poet may be stuck and beginning to feel irrelevant. Which they are not unless they allow themselves to feel that way. My philosophy is: It takes all kinds to make a world.
Nice poem, Michael
Thank you for your wise words Mike, I guess he really isn’t a fan of change.
F**king Awesome Original-Dante!! Ha! Love it!!
Haha! Thank you very much! 😀
Bravo, Michael!! Reminds me a lot of my high school art teacher who told me my technique was wrong. Wrong to whom? Since when do the arts have rules??
lol Thank you Dorinda! don’t you just get annoyed by people who put a label on something such as art lol? like, how can their version of art be the definitive one??
Because they think they know it all, when in fact, they are very narrow minded. Just keep doing what you’re doing 🙂
A fine comeback from an amazing poet! ❤
You’re making me blush again Kim! lol 😀 thank you
Hmmm…a new trick I’ve now mastered….smiling here….
I’m loving your “hypothetical” response to him! I agree The Poetry Channel. It sounds to me as if this poet feels left behind as poetry develops and progresses. Some people are traditionalist and struggle immensely with change. But it doesn’t give him the right to bash fellow artists. Shame – on – him
Lol thanks Jo…by the way, if you’re planning to do a poetry response soon I have a few i’m curious to see you respond to 🙂
Was hoping you would ask. 😊 which ones? I’m more than ready
For now “Clarity” and “Fickle”….really interested in the direction you’ll take with the characters in both poems🙂
Clarity done!
Awesome!
I can’t find Fickle!
Here’s the link to the post: https://originaldante.wordpress.com/2016/08/06/fickle/