Friday, March 5, 2010
Were the Poems Lost?
It seems very nearly inappropriate to label found poems as "found." Since poetry revolves around the proper placement of words, I find this a legitimate concern. Do these poems know that they were lost in the first place? Maybe they are not "found" poems, but "hiding" poems. How do we know we're not upsetting these poems by finding them? Actually, it seems that naming this style hiding poetry is more appropriate and particularly to the serious observer and/or writer of the poetry. I am convinced of this fact because when we look seriously, when we want to see nuggets of inspiration, we see it hiding among the ordinary. It's hiding in the clouds, in the rhythm of a knife on a cutting board, in a recipe, and sometimes in a magazine article. The fun fact is that they are there all the time! It is not as if these poems slink around the house, avoiding our minds and pens, trying to keep us from "finding" them. All the same, it remains quite a wonder to me how someone can see anything, and use it to create another piece of something, very nearly on command. I get a bigger "kick" out of watching someone writing than I do out of watching a series of magic tricks. This probably stems from me knowing that anyone can hide a deck of cards in their blouse. Not everyone can learn how to raise awareness with a few well placed phrases.
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I agree, Ashley. It definitely seems like a misnomer. I like how you explain in such detail why you believe it to be so. I think "hiding" poems, or maybe "hidden" poems, would definitely be a more accurate description.
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