Is Poetry Masculine or Feminine?

[Lightning Rod]

I thought that I was a master of sarcasm, doreen
but my hat's off to you

[hester_prynne]

INdeed Judih, the fire back would be nice...I know what you mean, I want it back too....
right on!
H

[Lightning Rod]

INdeed Judih, the fire back would be nice...I know what you mean, I want it back too....
right on!
H

then don't waste time on this stupid thread
go start a fire

[hester_prynne]

Indeed, rubbin those sticks together all the time !
H

[MarcelMoon]

Poetettes? Ha ha

Isabelle Allende?

[mnaz]

The question is: Is poetry masculine or feminine?

As I said, this can be taken at least two ways: (A) Poetry can be analyzed and categorized as one or the other by its content. Or (B) Poetry is essentially one or the other overall in a more exclusive sense.

I think it is masculine. Maybe I'm prejudiced.

Ok, sounds like you're taking (B) above. But this doesn't strictly imply gender; it could mean style and content (non-gender-specific). Didn't I read T-kopf on here blasting TS Eliot's poetry for being umm, somewhat less than "masculine"?

But men write a different breed of poetry than women.

Well now, this is quite the overreach, isn't it? All men write a certain way and all women write a certain other (lesser implied?) way. That's not too insightful. (Inciteful, maybe).

The man to woman ratio among great poets is similar to the ratio in great painters. About 1 in 10.

You probably meant 10 to 1. And who's doing the voting? I realize that centuries have gone by, but are you saying the polls have closed?

I'm not saying that women can't write great poetry, but there are poets that I call 'poetettes' (these are mostly women but some male poets fall into this category as well) They mean well. They don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. They use words like translucent and gossamer. They are wistful and dreamy. That's all very fine, but not really my idea of poetry.

Or... they are the counterpoint, the back eddies in the raging hubris. And you're contradicting your sweeping "men write a different breed" statement above.

I'm from the Whitman school. Sure he was an old queer, but his poetry was wildly masculine. It confronts you. It pushes you around. It wants to laugh and have a drink with you. It is engaging and not fey and passive and frilly. It talks about real life.

It occurs to me that "alive" could be substituted for "masculine" in the above statement.

But I think poetry is a man's game. What do you think?

I think men have had a monopoly on many aspects of life and society for centuries, poetry and art included. And I think everyone's entitled to their opinion. And I think you're true to your screen moniker.

[MarcelMoon]

Here's Mary Gaitskill, reading at the Katherine Anne Porter house. I think you'll enjoy it.

http://www.frontporchjournal.com/issue7 ... tskill.asp

[Doreen Peri]

Listening to it now. Wow! A woman who can write! Who woulda thought? That's a kick ass beginning of a novel. I like it a lot. Funny and sarcastic.... witty and tough! Great image, issues, language and characters. Thanks for the link, Marcy!

I'd never heard of her until now.

[hester_prynne]

WOW! I enjoyed this immensely, thank you so much for posting this...
H

[MarcelMoon]

glad you enjoyed it. I had never heard of her before either. Never heard anything like this, it was quite liberating.