Truth or Fiction

[carousal]

A subject that has in the past been discussed on TPS is poetry written from a very personal objective and poetry that is not. This is particularly an issue with poems posted on relationships and their problems. The overall feeling is that poetry should be written from ‘the heart’ a phrase that is much repeated. Most of the posts on the love and sadness boards on the other site read as very personal confessions.

While bits and pieces from past experiences from myself and friends will inevitably find their way into my poems, I very seldom write from a strictly personal level. I mention this because it can be rather embarrassing when readers offer sympathy because they assume that the poem is a personal revelation when it is not.

We all know that to find something new and fresh to write on the subject of relationships is almost impossible as it has all been done countless times before but that doesn’t stop us trying.

For example, I once wrote a poem on infidelity within marriage; a common event that almost always deals with the moral aspects of infidelity. The sympathy is either for the innocent parties or excused by the conduct of the partners of the two who are involved in the affair.
I looked for a different angle; in the poem both parties had a stable marriage with a loving wife and a loving husband and both had children. The poem dealt with the heart wrenching decision that the two, who were very much in love, had to make to end the affair because of the heartbreak it would course for all who were involved.
Needless to say the comments that it received did not reflect much understanding for the lovers dilemma, we all like to pin our moral values in judgment. Also, reading between the lines of the feedback most thought that the poem was a personal occurrence in my own life when in fact that it couldn’t be much further from the truth, I’ve been happily married with a family for a number of years. Which brings me to full circle, writing on these subjects can be rather embarrassing, anyone had the same problems?

[fairqueen]

I understand what you're talking about. I do tend to "write from my heart." However, not everything I write about has actually happened to me. I've been offered sympathy, etc., and, I, too, have felt embarrassed because I felt an obligation to tell the person who sympathized with me that it wasn't "real." The funny thing is, when I told him it really didn't happen, the next comment was that I shouldn't be embarrassed to "admit" it was about me. LOL

Sometimes ideas just come to me and, before I know it, I'm writing a new poem about something that didn't actually happen to me, but I'm writing it as if it did.

I've been happily married for 33 years. Yet, I posted a poem entitled "The Other Woman" just the other day.

Enjoyed your post.

[Jamie~poetshare.forumotion.com]

The poem I chose to enter for TPS Splash of Verse involved growing old, having a child and wife, and reflecting back on the life I'd lived. Except, of course, I'm a 35-yr old gay man with no children who (hopefully) has many more years to go. So your point is well taken, Cari.

[exmrn27]

Unless your leaving a terribly exciting life, in which your position in the world has you going to far off places, meeting the forerunners of modern thought face to face, and shaping the history of the world through your actions...


How else are you going to tell a good tale? No one ever flew an X-wing nor was there ever a Death Star --- but its a damn good story isn't it? --- Tom Clancy never diffused a bomb, hopped in a car in time to shoot terrorists trying to board Air Force 1 --- but its a darn good action drama. Nor did James Clavell live during the times of the Shogun Era, yet " Shogun" and " Gaijin" were awesome stories about imperial corruption, politics, and war.

If you produce a good piece of writing whether it is poems or fiction, we cannot control what a reader might believe or may precive as to how you wanted your tale or poem to be conveyed. When they made up their mind --- they made it up. lol. You can deny, try to explain, and even prove in some cases --- but in a way, the creation takes a mind and body of its own, and its just going to go where it will end up. A lot of times we see this in long running series, where the writer may want to make his or her character either die or choose something, then the fans will erupt in a near riot and demand other wise, forcing the writer to do so ( which has happened, it actually happened to J.K Rowling) I know the creator of " Evangelion" --- the Anime --- he was almost forced out of a 4 story building by angry fans who didn't like the end he came up with and he promised to change it.

If someone wanted to write a truthful book about their life, then there is a place and genre for it. If someone wants to write about aspects of life but not their own --- thus fiction and literature enters that realm.

And if you get commentary ( if your lucky to get commentary on TPS) --- ahh well... take it for what it is I guess, a person will believe what they want lol.

In fact case in point --- there was one you finished writing, I forgot the title but it had a B-17 flying low and scathing a building. You said it was a woman's affliction to Alzheimers as I saw it as some dying lady who was having lasting memories of the good old days before she finally stepped into the wild yonder.

You projected one thing, I thought of it in a different light. Whose right? --- well the writer in the end but then again --- I had a diff experience.

Have you died before? no. Have you see a B-17 in flight? ( well maybe but in that case, you prob didn't see one scathe a building), and you ( hopefully) do not have Alzheimers --- but you were willing to attempt to get into another's shoes and then produce a vision of their world on paper.

So thats how it is in my opinion on the matter --- if people relied souly on their own lives for their poetry --- well my thing is --- who would care but your self and those around you in a sense of trying to say, " sell" your writing...unless its simply some self-help tool in order to give yourself mental comfort. Lest you saved the world or have a particularly exciting existence, your Ode to a Tea Pot on Sleepy Sunday Morning can only go so far.

I recognize that is a strong statement about writing but hey --- its how I feel in the end. I don't expect anyone to give me any type of audience if I'm talking about how I brushed my teeth in the morning, or what I thought about my daily chores painting a wall or cutting weeds.

[ladyoftheword]

I will start off by saying, Isn't that the point? Don't we want to cause a ruckus..or stir up emotions and thoughts? I can relate to what you are referring too because I just recently wrote a despair poem that caused everyone including the person I love get worried and wonder if I was going off the deep end. I will make the confession that what I write here is not to be taken for fiction unless I place the *THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED* tag on it. I want to envoke terror, sadness, worry or regret or whatever my story is...I want the reader to relate. I am not in the lest bit worried how they relate or translate because not having that control is perfect for me. I want to be a springboard for their doubts or imagination. The only worry I have is that someone will read my poetry or stories and walk away with Nothing. I used to know a writer that took it very personal that his readers didn't read his writing the way they SHOULD have in his opinion...but after reading the comments, I simply told him look at what they are saying? You got people talking and thinking..that is great! My best wishes to you.

Ladyoftheword

[Harklight]

In this make-believe internet world, we are closeted communities on our sites. We can pretend "fall in love" with each other and write heartfelt love poems that might feel true. We can imagine that we know a writer well enough to feel the pain they write when a relationship breaks up, a loved one dies or becomes ill. That makes the story, screenplay, person, actor or any image no more real than on any screen ~ or song on the radio.

Whenever your words rouse an emotion or thought, Cari, take the compliments for the "write": people will imagine what they choose to about the personal stuff - and you won't deter them.
I've been mistaken for, well ... you name it, that's me! None of the replies embarrass me, though I set them straight and a few readers refused to comment on further writes on moral grounds.

Picture yourself "out there", where your title and fly-leaf are all that a reader knows about you. People will pick up your book and buy it or they'll toss it back. They don't care if you write from reality or fiction, as long as you entertain their minds - as you do. Your imagination makes those words come to life in their minds: that IS real. Keep doing it and let readers make their judgements ~ they will, regardless. H x

[ladyoftheword]

Harklight,

That was perfect. It was what I was trying to say but couldn't write as eloquently as you did here. I agree whole heartedly.

C