Posted by Oklahoma on February 16, 1999 at 13:24:11:
In Reply to: Re: Reality, please posted by Prufrock on February 16, 1999 at 12:21:22:
That is a bit odd. The last line was indeed intended to be reality pleases. Quite an important and unfortunate error. As far as the meaning of "reality pleases" it was, in fact, and as you hinted, intended to be rather ambiguous. I think the best poems are those that are ambiguous, forcing the reader to think of all possible meanings. Your line from eliot is a fine example. So, what did I intend by the lines "reality please reality pleases"? I did not intend it to mean "reality" as the ordinary everyday world. I wrote it meaning that the writer (not necessarily me) wishes for a different reality, one that pleases him or her. This reality may or may not be different from "reality" in an everday, common sense. Just a reality pleasing to the protaginist. As you could probably infer from some of the not so subtle words, the writer is battling or suffering from some undefined madness or insanity. So, in that respect, perhaps "reality please" means any reality but his own. For any reality but his own current madness is sure to please. A reality of normality, I guess, is what the writer is begging.
As far as the process of my writing, I generally intend for my works to be a bit metaphorical, usually meaningful, if not personal. Usually, i do little thinking of subjects of poems. I typically think up a unique or interesting phrase and form a poem around a basis of that phrase. For example, one day the phrase "freshly pressed fopr death" came to me and I wrote a poem based on that,. My writing is often stream of consciousness style. But that lessens in no way the metaphorical or meaningful aspects of them, which I normally intend my writings to have.
Mostly, though, I enjoy creating interesting phrases that I deem interesting and go from there.
I haven't any training, "formal" or otherwise, on writing. Further, though an avid reader, I have read very few poems. When I do read works of great poets, I typically find myself to be inspired and, shortly thereafter, create my favorite works. Whether they are any "good" or not is not up to me entirely.
Anyway, sorry for rambling. Thanks so much for your reply. It is nice to get an educated viewpoint on a work, something that I definitely thought to be mediocre. Look forward to hearing from you again.