Are old things holding us back.

[Terry]

Hi Everybody

First of all congratulations on your win Leonie.

I think David has covered it pretty well but here are a few thoughts for what they’re worth.

I reckon you write what you want to write, it doesn’t matter what others do (respect them by all means) but do your own thing.
I hope I’m wrong, but my gut feeling is that very little of what we write do day will be relevant for long. I say this because we now live in constantly changing world; On the other hand I think it’s likely that the great poems of the past will survive into the foreseeable future. My reason for thinking this way is because those great poems were about Australia’s early days and our beginnings as a Nation and the forming of the Australian character and even though that is rapidly changing, many of us still see ourselves in that image.
As for Comps I reckon they are a great way of learning the craft, you may have a good poem but you must learn to write it well to do any good.
Sure different judges like differing types of poetry and I reckon that’s great as well; it gives all styles a chance.

Cheers Terry

[David Campbell]

Great news re 'Voices', Leonie...congratulations!

David

[Maureen K Clifford]

Good on you Leonie - that is great news and that is a great comp as well. You did good girl.

Cheers

Maureen

[Leonie]

Thanks for the congratulations everyone. Terry - I think you've got it. I never really thought of it like that, but you're right, these days things are changing so rapidly most of what we write today will be like the Commodore 64 in years to come - obsolete. Who remembers the good ol' C64? No one born after the 70's probably.

[Terry]

Yep had one of those Leonie.

Who knows of course, but in this crazy ever changing world you'd be a brave person to try and predict what will turn people on down the track a bit. That's why I reckon just get on with writing whatever gives you the most enjoyment; but there is no reason for not learning how to do whatever that is as well as you can.

Cheers Terry

[Stephen Whiteside]

And we shouldn't forget to write about the future sometimes, too...

[manfredvijars]

The poets of old we revere wrote of contemporary times to them ,

but generations fade away and we will need to move with the times somewhat to remain current. I am not saying forget or dismiss the old themes it is important to retain that link to tell stories of what it was like whether first hand or as a re teller of old stories.

But we also need to get contemporary themes into our poetry , things about life in the 2000's , in a hundred years time people may be really interested in how we lived , what we did , how we managed without latest gadget of the time.

Interestingly, some of the 'old poets', writing of their time, used a bit of poetic license to tell a good yarn (or were just inaccurate). Banjo comes to mind with his version of "How Gilbert Died" - there are others.

I don't believe that old things are holding us back at all. In our craft no topic is sacred and we do tend to write about what is familiar to us, either from research or our own life's experiences ... look at all the old farts (and fartettes) on this forum who sprout poetry - we're all 'old' and there's no holding us back .. .

[Heather]

I'm not old!

[manfredvijars]

You're older than your kids, denial works (BADLY) ...

[Maureen K Clifford]

Fatuous and facetious comments there Mannie about old farts Practising alliteration for my homework topic