Dec
5
2011
Every Poem I Write Is Pared To The Essential
Author: siggyEvery poem I write is pared to the essential. That was the one lesson I had to learn over and over in my two years of creative writing. The beauty of a written piece is always what is left out–the empty spaces. I had to look at my poems repeatedly to see what was necessary to say. I do not have to say something directly if it was said already even if was only said implicitly. Some teachers may use the statement, “Show don’t tell”. This is very difficult to do since it is my own work. It is hard to view it objectively. Of course, a good editor helps this process. It is very common for a beginner to resist this process. Everything they write they think is “gold.”
I am a little luckier than most: my wife is a fine editor. I do not hesitate to change something if her advice is on target. If her criticism is right, I will make the necessary changes. Your instincts have to be accurate. If a line (or a phrase or a word) can be taken out and the poem still stands, it was not necessary. Sometimes the opposite is necessary: you need to add something. There may be ambiguity you don’t want or maybe you want it there. You, also, may have to rearrange some lines. Your piece is not coherent. The reader can’t follow the poem easily. What are you trying to achieve with the piece? Sometimes that is not an easy question to answer and may determine the changes you make. You always have to make the decision when to leave the poem alone (and come back to it later) or whether it is even worth working on. Every word has to count.
