Tag: robert pinsky

Writing Poetry: Why I Love It and How I Became Obsessed

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet2 Comments

In this post, I’ll discuss why I choose to obsess over poetry. How I was first exposed to it and why my passion for reading and writing has led me to where I’m at today with my writing routine. I also provide multiple lists of recommended reading, book reviews, and other blog posts I’ve written about poetry.

beverage in cup next to open book of poetry
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The Root of My Obsession with Poetry

In 2011, I was exposed to poetry in a creative writing course in college. I read Wittgenstein and Maggie Nelson, which finally cracked open the world of poetry and creative writing in a way I could grasp. Since then, I’ve fallen down into a rabbit hole I don’t think I’ll ever want to get out of.

Recommended Reading: My Two Favorite Poetry and Writing Books

Remarks on Colour by Ludwig Wittgenstein

Bluets by Maggie Nelson

I haven’t been the same for years. I’ve found myself continually wanting to write and explore literature. Over time, my obsession with writing poetry resulted in various daily writing routines that I have tweaked to optimize writing output. And I’ve maintained a habit of writing for one to two hours per day since then.

Are you looking for an alpha or beta reader to review your poems? I can help! Learn more HERE.

opened book placed on table with cherries and blue flowers
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Poetry: It’s Not as Fancy as You Think and It’s for Everyone

I used to think that poetry was some high-brow artistic form of writing. I thought that I’d never be able to understand, let alone write poetry, even though I was already an avid writer and reader.

Maybe it’s because poetry is intimidating at first due to its literary history and importance to countless civilizations, both ancient and new. Perhaps it’s because of its history of religious poetry, passing down legends and mythologies, or its significant use in addressing societal and cultural shifts. This fear of poetry is pretty common for people interested in it but hesitant to jump in.

Poems That I Recommended Reading

A Hymn to God the Father by John Donne

The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagles

Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg

white paper with black text formatted as a poem
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The Need to Read Poetry and Everything Else

I read tons of books on writing poetry. I’m keen to find reliable resources with pro tips that I can use to push my poetry in new directions. But reading poetry more than writing seems to positively affect my work. I’d highly recommend balancing time between reading and writing poetry to advance your writing.

Reading Suggestions: Excellent Books on Poetry by Robert Pinsky

My Book Reviews of Singing School and Democracy, Culture and the Voice of Poetry by Robert Pinsky 

Also, check out my list of Recommended Poetry Books and How to Read a Poem

Interested in Writing Poetry? Jump into the Rabbit Hole and Have Fun!

What can I say about poetry, about writing? Read, write, write some more, and get your hands on as much great poetry as possible. If you love it, let it become your obsession. Take joy in poetry and memorize poems you love; this has helped me compose and acknowledge the value of being able to read poetry effectively at events.

Looking for guidance and tips? Read my post How to Memorize a Poem!

Are You a Poet? Or Are You New to Writing Poetry? Let’s Chat

Do you write poetry? When did you start, and why do you continue to write? Connect with me today and leave a comment below! I’d love to know your influences and what your writing routine is.

Enjoyed this post? Here’s 3 easy ways to come up with ideas for poems!

Review: “Democracy, Culture and the Voice of Poetry” by Robert Pinsky

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet1 Comment

 

image source: amazon.com

Robert Pinsky is a Poet and Writer that provides insight into the mechanisms of poetry in our modern day. “Democracy, Culture and the Voice of Poetry” is one of Pinsky’s books on poetry that provides readers and fellow poets information and a space of reflection when it comes to Poetry in America.

I found this book helpful since I have been recently researching the role of poetry in American Culture, specifically when it comes to a surge of political writing and poetry during tumultuous times. Keeping in mind the protest poets of the past, I wanted to gain a more complex view of the role of poetry in America. What does it mean to write ‘political’ poetry? To write protest poetry? Do these poems last, are they cherished by audiences in another time and country? Or are they encapsulated in their own time and place as relics of specific events and times?

Pinsky’s book answered some of these questions I had although with a more complex response that pulled conversations and philosophical theories from people such as Alexis de Tocqueville . I also kept in mind that this book was published in 2005, not that old but it has been more than a decade since its first release. What is important is that Pinsky dismisses the idea that poetry is only for entertainment and that it does in fact (sometimes inadvertently) reflect the democratic culture of the U.S. at a specific time.

This book was insightful and interesting, a quick read too. I felt like it did a good job at bringing depth to Pinsky’s discussion and his own projects such as Favorite Poems Project. I did think that its purpose was to argue Pinsky’s own argument on the importance and role of poetry in America rather than discussing the ways in which one can write such poetry. I would recommend this book for any Pinsky reader and contemporary poet interested in the subject.

-Alina

 

What to Expect: Book Reviews and Reflections

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

I plan on writing up some reviews/reflections on a few of the following books this month. I have yet to choose which ones from this list of what I am currently reading.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

Democracy, Culture and the Voice of Poetry by Robert Pinsky

Three Guineas by Virginia Woolf

Satanic Feminism: Lucifer as the Liberator of Woman in Nineteenth-Century Culture by Per Faxneld

I am really leaning towards a reflection of Wuthering Heights for sure and a review of Democracy, Culture and the Voice of Poetry.

-Alina

Book Review: Singing School by Robert Pinsky

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

(photo: amazon.com)

This is a short reflection of Singing School by Robert Pinsky  which was one of the poetry books on My Summer Poetry Reading List. It has taken me a while to finish it since I’ve been neck deep in reading the Harry Potter books among many others.

I admit I had some assumptions about what this book would be when I picked it up. I thought it would be thorough and detailed writing advice from Pinsky. What I really found was a miniature anthology of poems picked out by Pinsky that are presented as examples and inspiration to poets. This was a slight disappointment to me since I have more than enough anthologies of poems and I was looking for more of a detailed guide books/manual with great advice. Still, the infectious reader in me had to finish what she started, so I read on. By the end I realized that these specific poems that Pinsky chose were more than just good examples but living, breathing pieces that were solid in form, approach, style and technique (they are of course written by ‘the masters‘). Quite a few of the poems I recognized from taking previous Poetry courses up at the University of Utah but there were a few that I did read for the first time. I realized that these pieces picked out by Pinsky showed his extraordinary talent and abilities when it comes to poetry. Simply stated: He knows what he’s talking about! Of Course!

The poems are sectioned off into different chapters that have specific themes such as, ‘Freedom‘, and ‘Listening‘. At the beginning of each chapter Pinsky introduces his selected poems by explaining a certain element of poetry. His detailed analysis paired with tying in examples from the poems to be read, create a vivid but short lesson. I found the ‘Listening‘ chapter and ‘Dreaming Things Up‘ to be my favorites.

Overall I wish there was more to this book. I feel that it is a brief introduction to Poetry and Poetry’s key elements for beginners. Since I’ve been reading, studying and writing Poetry for a few years now, I crave something more complex and challenging to learn from. I would recommend this book to any Pinsky readers or newbies to Poetry since it is nevertheless a fantastic book!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my writing!

I hope that you will return in the future!

 

-Alina