There are so many ways in which writing poetry is similar to writing prose. Perhaps what strikes me as most similar in these early stages of my journey is that established poets, poets I admire, all suggest that the poet’s job is to get out of the way of the poem.
Jo Bell in her book, How to Become a Poet, which I’m already re-reading and which I recommend highly, says, ‘As you write, remain open to the posibility that the poem isn’t about what you thought it was about – the thing that first struck you …. is very unlikely to be the real subject of a poem.’
We discover our poem or story as we write. I understand this and know it to be true. It’s something I learned through writing novels and short stories. The writing takes on a life of its own if we let it. If we let it spill on the page and not worry about whether its good or indifferent, and in the case of poetry not move too quickly to impose a form, then it will truly surprise us.
Paul Muldoon is big on this! – here he is on You Tube with advice to young poets. There are some great resources on You Tube for aspiring poets.
