I think Alan's right (I'm taking the comment as Americanocentric--that's not a criticism, by the way), and I'm unconvinced it's a good thing. Is is really a Good Thing for metricism to become another academic school, for a Formalist Mafia to conglomerate in academe? To closely paraphrase Artaud, it becomes another fucking bill to pay.

Quincy

Neither "metricism" nor "formalism" are necessarily Good Things, but meter is, to the extent that it is used well. I'd also say that less prejudice in the world of poetry against metric poetry is a Good Thing.

Quincy, did you just say you aren't sure it's a good thing that metrical poetry is being more widely accepted and practiced again, or did I completely misunderstand? Does a broader acceptance of metrical poetry equate to having a Formalist Mafia conglomerating in academe?

Must be getting too quiet around here again.

Carol

Bloody Hell, Quincy!

I'm in academe (doing an MFA). There's no Formalist Mafia, not even close. I can't begin to tell you how unfashionable I am because of my preferences. And I'm led to believe (from TBM readers/submitters) that it's worse in many other schools than mine--at least mine tolerates me!

Anna (Note to self: must start lurking again...)

Poetry will die before metrics dies. Poetry tries to catch up with breathing and walking and several other interesting rhythmic human activities.

As long as someone goes for a walk poetry will keep returning to the heart beat.
In my falsely humble opinion.
Janet

personally speaking (is there any other way?) I won't miss tde, if it goes.

All it ever did was make some people feel needlessly inadequate, and others feel overly adequate. Meter and form are supposed to be skeletons one hangs a poem on, not straightjackets or armor. to me TDE felt like the stomping ground of the metric SS, who would rather count feet than listen to the music that can arise from syncopation. Funk was better than disco, because in funk you can break the beat.



------------------
Essentials:
In Brooklyn i was born;
lived in space before too long

For what it's worth:

I use TDE for a poem I think is finished - i.e. come on, folks, prove me wrong!

I use Metrical for early drafts.

That, after all, is what the guidelines suggest we use them for.

Having said that, I've sometimes regretted I didn't post on the other board. But it can definitely go both ways.

Duncan

Matthew, whether "tde" goes or stays, it won't miss your funk. No one at TDE objects to syncopation. But we are apt to flog lazy or incompetent writing, whatever the beat.

Alan

Some of us have different ideas about what sounds good. The funny thing is, although some in TDE probably think my metrical standards are too loosey-goosey, I feel I'm almost a tight-ass compared to some of the metrical poets I've read in anthologies and magazines.

The main thing is, a critique can't make you do anything to your poem that you don't want to do. Unless your poem is actually being tossed out of TDE as "non-metrical," you don't have to worry about any metrical nitpicks you don't agree with. Just act on the suggestions you like - people do actually comment on content in TDE, not just meter - and ignore the rest. So what if someone says your meter is clunky? You either agree or you don't. If you agree, fix it. If you don't, don't.

Matthew, how do you know?


Does that mean that free verse is somewhere where everyone feels adequate? I don't think so.

Janet