Short Statement on Poetics--#3

[Lightning Rod]

when Walt Whitman said, "I sing myself, I celebrate myself."

it brilliantly stated the essence of poetry.

The ultimate subject matter of the greatest poetry is the poet himself.

When we write from the most honest place, we write about what we know. What do we know better than ourselves?

Or this could be the mark of the poet--one who knows himself. How many of us really know ourselves?

I know that this is also the definition of solipsism.

Poetry makes the personal UNIVERSAL

or is it that poetry makes the universal PERSONAL?

the question remains open

maybe that's what makes poetry---the question remains

[bennie2]

i don't know much about myself at all.

walt whitman... I know you love this loose tooth fucker, LR, but I can't get it... is it american?

ooohh... doggies have just come in my house... need to go play...

[bennie2]

dogs didn't stay long

ha. what a shitty response. doggies. I'm a big poof!

Anyway, maybe me knowing that I don't know myself is enough knowledge to write? I write about my own self-confusion.

I still don't get whitman though. I bought leaves of grass because you told me to get it and I've read most of it, well... I've read bits of it. bits of it aloud too! but no. I don't get it.

In wind flaps of semen
I celebrate myself
in train ticket dog howl
I celebrate myself
in onion peeling cateract
I celebrate myself
my cadavar burlesque
celebrate me!!!

[Lightning Rod]

bennie,

I puzzled over Whitman long and long

I know he's hard to penetrate, but the effort is well worth it

I anyone can do it, then you can

I would recommend The Song of the Answerer

[hester_prynne]

Ah Walt, a Jolly sort, brilliantly writing it down.
I wish there were more Walts.
I really do....

H