Hmm. Poems are to be grammatically correct or well understood by the reader?
In this case, the grammar/diction applies to SPOKEN English as opposed to WRITTEN, and there is a difference. The use of rhyme and meter (loosely) however, cues the metricists on board to take the bull by the horns and squeeze the life right out of the poem...add a ridiculously long sentence in there to attend to the GERUND status of the thing. Bugger. It's a toss up but in my opinion, clarifying a WELL understood dialectical phrase (WE ALL USE THIS PHRASE PEOPLES) would ruin the cadence of the poem. Completely.
This so often happens and comparing this poem to the other offerings.....
it is the stellar example of what good poetry looks like.
Life imitating art and art imitating life.
*In my humble of humblest opinions, the biggest problem with this poem is the poor use of the word AND. And can be used as the INCLUSIVE device but in poetry, it is better used as the EMPHATIC device.
[This message has been edited by Maggie Porter (edited December 07, 2004).]
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